www.custard-graphic-design.co.uk

Illustrations & Design by Custard by Design & Illustrations

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Published by Tale Trails Tale by Published period of time of period

hours and be cut off for a a for off cut be and hours

00724133. Registered Charity No. 218711. No. Charity Registered 00724133.

Walney may flood for several several for flood may Walney

Limited, a Company Limited by Guarantee No. No. Guarantee by Limited Company a Limited,

above), the road to South South to road the above),

Registered in England as Cumbria Wildlife Trust Trust Wildlife Cumbria as England in Registered

high winter tides (9.68m and and (9.68m tides winter high

Copyright © 2017 Cumbria Wildlife Trust Wildlife Cumbria 2017 © Copyright PLEASE NOTE: during very very during NOTE: PLEASE

www.cumbriawildlifetrust.org.uk

if you have one too. too. one have you if

before you set off. Take a mobile phone phone mobile a Take off. set you before

clothing and something to eat and drink drink and eat to something and clothing

so make sure you pack appropriate appropriate pack you sure make so

the gulls made a “ha ha ha” sound and and sound ha” ha “ha a made gulls the place. Let’s hope it stays that way.” that stays it hope Let’s place.

and wild and feel remote in places places in remote feel and wild and

the marram grass Darwin noticed that that noticed Darwin grass marram the Walney so it must be a very special special very a be must it so Walney

South Walney can be windy windy be can Walney South Safety:

Back to the nest we flew! we nest the to Back above! As they sat watching quietly from from quietly watching sat they As above! the way from Africa to breed on South South on breed to Africa from way the

But after a day afloat on the sway the on afloat day a after But

chicks – and pooping on folks from from folks on pooping and – chicks be all that bad! These gulls come all all come gulls These bad! that all be the county. the island treasures! island

heard many tales about seagulls stealing stealing seagulls about tales many heard meadow too, Darwin, so the gulls can’t can’t gulls the so Darwin, too, meadow

manage our nature reserves across across reserves nature our manage in and visit the Curiosity Cabin, full of of full Cabin, Curiosity the visit and in

in summer in

To venture places new places venture To

Darwin watched suspiciously. He had had He suspiciously. watched Darwin “Some of your kind nest in the gull gull the in nest kind your of “Some

children - all monies are used to help help to used are monies all - children the car park and make sure you sign sign you sure make and park car the are seen on the nature reserve reserve nature the on seen are

We set our sails and turned our tails our turned and sails our set We

is £3.00 for adults and £1.00 for for £1.00 and adults for £3.00 is Fantastic picnic area next to to next area picnic Fantastic

Facilities: beautiful golden butterflies that that butterflies golden beautiful

kindly to intruders around their home.” their around intruders to kindly didn’t like! didn’t

for members is free; non-members non-members free; is members for As it was bloomin’ cold bloomin’ was it As under his wing brought out a diamond- a out brought wing his under Gatekeeper butterflies are are butterflies Gatekeeper

i what they are saying as they don’t take take don’t they as saying are they what saying they had spotted something they they something spotted had they saying

vulnerability of the wildlife here. wildlife the of vulnerability

reserve for non-members. Entry Entry non-members. for reserve cormorant opened his beak and from from and beak his opened cormorant The sky was blue and we were too were we and blue was sky The

harm, Darwin, but you’d better listen to to listen better you’d but Darwin, harm, diving. Maybe this was their way of of way their was this Maybe diving.

allowed (except guide dogs) due to the the to due dogs) guide (except allowed

charge for entry onto the nature nature the onto entry for charge

Darwin nodded respectfully again. The The again. respectfully nodded Darwin

by, and a “yeow yeow” shriek before before shriek yeow” “yeow a and by, much us mean don’t “They overhead.

Unfortunately dogs are not not are dogs Unfortunately Dogs: Darwin. “Let’s visit him.” visit “Let’s Darwin.

To hunt for treasures gold treasures for hunt To

There is a small small a is There Entrance fees: Entrance

“Aye aye, captain!” aye, “Aye

leaned forward when someone walked walked someone when forward leaned dived and zoomed they as squawked

sea ravens,” he added, winking at at winking added, he ravens,” sea like a pirate.” a like

the sea the

beaches at any time. any at beaches

“Caw caw ooo eeeer” sounds. They They sounds. eeeer” ooo caw “Caw

10.00am-5.00pm Opening times: Opening

said Fuzz. “They know things, those those things, know “They Fuzz. said to feel like a pirate you need to look look to need you pirate a like feel to

The eiderling and me sailed o’er o’er sailed me and eiderling The very best shipmate. best very stay on trails and do not access the the access not do and trails on stay

There were hundreds of gulls, making making gulls, of hundreds were There

wings so he can dive for food again,” again,” food for dive can he so wings the eiderling is learning quickly. I think think I quickly. learning is eiderling the

until the nature reserve is reached. is reserve nature the until undisturbed haven for wildlife so please please so wildlife for haven undisturbed

nodded humbly and saluted his his saluted and humbly nodded

strange old building from times gone by. by. gone times from building old strange

need one too!” said Fuzz … Fuzz said too!” one need scary but really he is just drying his his drying just is he really but scary “The gatekeeper butterfly tells me that that me tells butterfly gatekeeper “The

Follow the road for a further kilometre kilometre further a for road the Follow The nature reserve is an an is reserve nature The Access:

back towards Eider Island. Fuzz Fuzz Island. Eider towards back

sweet-smelling sea lavender and a a and lavender sea sweet-smelling salt water! salt

shanty?” asked Darwin. “Maybe we we “Maybe Darwin. asked shanty?” the marram grass. “He does look a bit bit a look does “He grass. marram the

road to the South End Caravan Site. Site. Caravan End South the to road

crew,” said Darwin as they headed headed they as Darwin said crew,”

fixed on the cormorant’s hooked beak. hooked cormorant’s the on fixed

mushrooms (called parasol mushrooms), mushrooms), parasol (called mushrooms come up, and they can even drink drink even can they and up, come

track if little legs are getting tired. getting are legs little if track at full speed. “Maybe that’s their sea sea their that’s “Maybe speed. full at Darwin, stooping down nervously into into nervously down stooping Darwin,

pass Biggar Village and follow the the follow and Village Biggar pass

“I think we need to go and find my my find and go to need we think “I

Darwin nodded whilst keeping his eyes eyes his keeping whilst nodded Darwin

to Gull Meadow, passing amazing giant giant amazing passing Meadow, Gull to feet to mimic rain so that worms worms that so rain mimic to feet

across the blue way-marked oyster farm farm oyster way-marked blue the across sounds of different birds whilst flying flying whilst birds different of sounds the d-d-d dinosaur bird!” stuttered stuttered bird!” dinosaur d-d-d the

miles then turn left down Carr Lane, Lane, Carr down left turn then miles

Darwin and Fuzz headed around the bay bay the around headed Fuzz and Darwin

the rest of us. Gulls stamp their their stamp Gulls us. of rest the

from the car park. There is a shortcut shortcut a is There park. car the from The skylarks seemed to mimic the call call the mimic to seemed skylarks The black, shiny feathers. “Eeeeek … it’s it’s … “Eeeeek feathers. shiny black,

training to be a pirate.” a be to training

Follow this road for about 1km/0.6 1km/0.6 about for road this Follow stood just a little bit taller. bit little a just stood

they are just trying to survive like like survive to trying just are they

way markers in a clockwise direction direction clockwise a in markers way munched happily in the summer sun. sun. summer the in happily munched outstretched wings and magnificent magnificent and wings outstretched

a brave little eiderling called Darwin is is Darwin called eiderling little brave a

follow brown signs left at traffic lights. lights. traffic at left signs brown follow Fuzz, I’m not going in there”. in going not I’m Fuzz, and Fuzz smiled at each other and and other each at smiled Fuzz and

even eat each other’s eggs but but eggs other’s each eat even

story. The route mainly follows the red red the follows mainly route The story. marvellous song, and sheep and cows cows and sheep and song, marvellous the horizon stood a huge creature with with creature huge a stood horizon the

“The gatekeeper butterfly tells me that that me tells butterfly gatekeeper “The

Jubilee Bridge onto the Island and and Island the onto Bridge Jubilee arms defiantly. “Shiver me tail feather, feather, tail me “Shiver defiantly. arms diving under the crashing waves. Darwin Darwin waves. crashing the under diving

Yes, they fight and squabble and and squabble and fight they Yes,

find your way and spot features from the the from features spot and way your find skylarks filled the sky with the most most the with sky the filled skylarks The sun was beginning to set and on on and set to beginning was sun The

follow signs for Walney Island, cross cross Island, Walney for signs follow Darwin shook his head and folded his his folded and head his shook Darwin friend,” said the mighty cormorant before before cormorant mighty the said friend,”

and nature reserve leaflet to help you you help to leaflet reserve nature and them… fluttered around like secret spies, spies, secret like around fluttered pointing out towards The Great Ocean. Ocean. Great The towards out pointing

been pooped on from above? from on pooped been

From Barrow-in-Furness Barrow-in-Furness From “Now go and sail the seven seas, my my seas, seven the sail and go “Now

Directions:

Walney Nature Reserve. Use the map map the Use Reserve. Nature Walney the ocean’s edge. He turned to face face to turned He edge. ocean’s the creatures … gatekeeper butterflies butterflies gatekeeper … creatures rudder.” tail strong I’d like you to meet, Darwin,” said Fuzz, Fuzz, said Darwin,” meet, to you like I’d

chips mugged by a gull or or gull a by mugged chips

footpaths and boardwalk. and footpaths the wonderful wilderness of South South of wilderness wonderful the the cormorant watched them from from them watched cormorant the and watched all sorts of amazing amazing of sorts all watched and your them show on, Go of. know I ducks bold letters. bold creature more one “There’s more. bit

Have you ever had your your had ever you Have

A mixture of tracks, grassy grassy tracks, of mixture A This interactive 5km Tale Trail explores explores Trail Tale 5km interactive This the waves of The Great Ocean and and Ocean Great The of waves the Terrain: the dunes and Marvellous Meadows, Meadows, Marvellous and dunes the sea diving best the are “Eiders Fuzz. which said ‘THE EIDERLING’ in big, big, in EIDERLING’ ‘THE said which little a feathers downy his into snuggled

The pair walked cautiously towards towards cautiously walked pair The The buccaneer pair ventured on through through on ventured pair buccaneer The asked too?” swim a have you don’t “Why encrusted eye patch and a pirate flag flag pirate a and patch eye encrusted Fuzz and cheekily chuckled Darwin

The bit for grown ups.... grown for bit The

5 6 4 are quite irritating. quite are

caterpillars as their spiny hairs hairs spiny their as caterpillars fun Walks around Don’t pick up or touch fuzzy fuzzy touch or up pick Don’t

Walney Island Walney

first few weeks. few first local other beaches around around beaches other

a crèche around them for the the for them around crèche a South Cumbria

Cabin and also on on also and Cabin story the delicate chicks by forming forming by chicks delicate the

these in the Curiosity Curiosity the in these walks eider mums and aunties protect protect aunties and mums eider

one?! now who’s the scary scary the who’s now

see beach-finds like like beach-finds see

a thing! When the eggs hatch, hatch, eggs the When thing! a for children and

part of a bird’s stomach) – – stomach) bird’s a of part

disturbed. You can can You disturbed.

for four weeks and don’t eat eat don’t and weeks four for the young at heart

gizzard (the thick, muscular muscular thick, (the gizzard

and plants are not not are plants and Eider mums sit on the eggs eggs the on sit mums Eider

crushing the shells with their their with shells the crushing the fragile animals animals fragile the

Eiders can eat a clam whole, whole, clam a eat can Eiders really important that that important really

the beaches – it is is it – beaches the

crabs just like eiders. like just crabs seas and hunt for treasure!” for hunt and seas

Please don’t go onto onto go don’t Please

determinedly. “I want to sail the seven seven the sail to want “I determinedly. sea urchins, starfish and and starfish urchins, sea

! The Eiderling “I WANT TO BE A PIRATE!” said Darwin Darwin said PIRATE!” A BE TO WANT “I

Seals eat mussels, clams, clams, mussels, eat Seals A family story trail around South Walney Island can’t be your home forever.” home your be can’t Island

stay back. stay

a great diver and great hunter too. Eider Eider too. hunter great and diver great a Nature Reserve warning for folks to to folks for warning

Darwin, the sprinter of the duck world … … world duck the of sprinter the Darwin, shellfish and the like.” Darwin watched watched Darwin like.” the and shellfish

oystercatcher nodded and waded over. over. waded and nodded oystercatcher

really it was just a a just was it really By Anja Phoenix a little closer. “You are a mighty sea duck, duck, sea mighty a are “You closer. little a Well, they eat the same food as you, you, as food same the eat they Well,

looked a bit scary but but scary bit a looked The Darwin. stuttered n-n-n-neck,”

snuggled into his mum’s downy feathers feathers downy mum’s his into snuggled mighty gurt big creatures that they are? are? they that creatures big gurt mighty doing. was she what wondered

they were angry, which which angry, were they green a with but older I’m when you like

some adventures of your own.” Darwin Darwin own.” your of adventures some Spit. “See those sea pigs over yonder, yonder, over pigs sea those “See Spit. and sand muddy the into beak long her

smack the water with their tails when when tails their with water the smack white and black be to g-g-g-going “I’m

you to spread your wings and go on on go and wings your spread to you binoculars and pointed out towards The The towards out pointed and binoculars pushed often she that saw He mudflats.

grunts and clicks. Sometimes they would would they Sometimes clicks. and grunts

now, Darwin,” said his mum. “Time for for “Time mum. his said Darwin,” now, Fuzz passed Darwin a pair of tiny tiny of pair a Darwin passed Fuzz the through wading legs red bright with fluff. of ball quivering a became

of different sounds like growls, hisses, hisses, growls, like sounds different of

“I love you”! love “I

“It’s time for you to leave the nest nest the leave to you for time “It’s Bay and noticed a beautiful tall bird bird tall beautiful a noticed and Bay who Darwin, face to turned he as again

and chatted to each other using all sorts sorts all using other each to chatted and

sounds like they are saying saying are they like sounds began to rumble a bit. a rumble to began

exciting! He sat looking over Lighthouse Lighthouse over looking sat He exciting! said he peep,” “Peep beak. orange

use their whiskers to help them find food food find them help to whiskers their use

they see a female they like. It It like. they female a see they stayed well and truly put … until summer! until … put truly and well stayed them up out of the mudflats. His tummy tummy His mudflats. the of out up them

flowers by the path … this was getting getting was this … path the by flowers bright long, a with white and black was

two whole minutes! The seals seemed to to seemed seals The minutes! whole two

back and say “coo oooo” when when oooo” “coo say and back

the nest and begun exploring but Darwin Darwin but exploring begun and nest the worms, shellfish and shrimps, sucking sucking shrimps, and shellfish worms,

otters and spotted some amazing yellow yellow amazing some spotted and otters oystercatcher The Darwin. thought

amazingly managed to hold his breath for for breath his hold to managed amazingly

Male eiders throw their heads heads their throw eiders Male

10 weeks old most of the chicks had left left had chicks the of most old weeks 10 watched as the wading birds snacked on on snacked birds wading the as watched

i past the finger pools and waved to the the to waved and pools finger the past treasure,” for looking he’s “Maybe all. at

head under the water at high tide and and tide high at water the under head

evening,” but Darwin would not budge. At At budge. not would Darwin but evening,” doubt,” said Fuzz confidently. Darwin Darwin confidently. Fuzz said doubt,”

further away from home. He walked walked He home. from away further scary seem didn’t and special something

swam so he bravely popped his his popped bravely he so swam

his brothers and sisters, “it’s a beautiful beautiful a “it’s sisters, and brothers his five-star mud restaurant out there, no no there, out restaurant mud five-star

courageous, so he decided to venture venture to decided he so courageous, for searching was he like looked He

Darwin wanted to see how the seals seals the how see to wanted Darwin

carry on snoozing. “Come on!” shouted shouted on!” “Come snoozing. on carry be looking for delicious snacks in the the in snacks delicious for looking be

Now Darwin was feeling a little bit more more bit little a feeling was Darwin Now Island. Eider to door next Beach, dinosaur bird on The Great Ocean.” Great The on bird dinosaur

downy nest and was quite happy to to happy quite was and nest downy birds with the long, curved beaks. “They “They beaks. curved long, the with birds

Fuzz knowingly. Fuzz Shingle on around walking was who frightening too, especially the black black the especially too, frightening

Darwin was snuggled up in his soft, soft, his in up snuggled was Darwin other?” “Oooo ee oooo ee,” said the the said ee,” oooo ee “Oooo other?” pirate. a like

those sea pigs for seafaring tips,” said said tips,” seafaring for pigs sea those oystercatcher, the said peep,” “Peep strange noises and some of them look look them of some and noises strange

too. Can you hear them talking to each each to talking them hear you Can too. bit little a just feel to began and shells,

once in a while, so it’s worth watching watching worth it’s so while, a in once what they are saying. They make make They saying. are they what

did not. did

redshanks you’re looking at and curlews curlews and at looking you’re redshanks beautiful and purses mermaid’s found … oystercatcher the … nearby

needs to know where to haul up to rest rest to up haul to where know to needs of the other animals, I don’t understand understand don’t I animals, other the of

Island … one little eiderling eiderling little one … Island

to be of service to you, sir. Those be be Those sir. you, to service of be to He Beach. Shingle exploring on carried lives who someone with start you don’t

barked at each other. “Every good pirate pirate good “Every other. each at barked “I really want to, Mum, but I’m scared scared I’m but Mum, to, want really “I

name’s Master Fuzz and I be pleased pleased be I and Fuzz Master name’s and himself to smiled Darwin sea. to Why code! secret a cracking like bit a it’s the shingle beach of Walney Walney of beach shingle the

Darwin watched in wonder as the seals seals the as wonder in watched Darwin

and nodded with a big, beaky smile. “My “My smile. beaky big, a with nodded and out off flew and oystercatcher the said … other each to talk and move they how … just before you set sail.” set you before just … made their way down to to down way their made

minutes, I’ve been told.” been I’ve minutes, pal new his at stared Darwin shipmate?” peep,” “Peep Darwin. asked treasure?” Watch little. a them understand to start explore the seven lands of Walney first first Walney of lands seven the explore

moon four little eider chicks chicks eider little four moon

“They can hold their breath for 20 20 for breath their hold can “They a “Need creature. hairy little the said pirate for hunting we “Are himself. go and creatures other the watch to you “Well, my darling, you might need to to need might you darling, my “Well,

Under the light of a May May a of light the Under

beach and felt very tiny in comparison. comparison. in tiny very felt and beach matey,” there, “Ahoy shoulder. his onto a had then and watched Darwin sand. for place great a it’s so folks, many by Darwin’s mum looked a little shocked. shocked. little a looked mum Darwin’s

them, hauling themselves up onto the the onto up themselves hauling them, crawled caterpillar little a carefully the in snacks little finding beak, long disturbed get don’t we as Walney South

the seals, or sea pigs as Fuzz called called Fuzz as pigs sea or seals, the listening and watching sat he As his with beach the comb to started He at here lucky very are we Darwin, “Well,

The Eiderling The

3

2 Easy to follow Map & Story 1 Explore, Spot things & Search for clues on the way The Eiderling

Niko Tinbergen hide Look over Lighthouse Bay at Halichoerus grypus high tide and you might spot ’ Piel castle some seals hauled up on The Old pier means ‘hooked-nose sea pig onto t Spit. It’s also a great place to uling he Observation hide ha be e ac ov h This is where the old gull colony used see waders like redshank and l ls h a e to be but they moved house to the curlew digging for food in the se r y e re quieter Gull Meadow. On a clear day 5 mud restaurant. G you can spot Blackpool Tower and Nature reserve Y Duck spotting zone the West of Walney wind turbines A THE SPIT It’s freshwater here, so a B Seal cam entrance spinning. This is where a very patient (links to great place for duck spotting! man called Niko Tinbergen learnt a lot CH E curiosity cam) A Niko Tinbergen S Eiders breed here, and in about gull language and behaviour like SHINGLE BEACH BE Oystercatchers O hide U winter you might spot wigeon, Darwin on his adventure around S T Listen to the CCES O shelduck, teal and moorhens. South Walney Nature Reserve. “peep peep” NO A H

Listen out for croaky toads Otters T

and eider ducks cooing from F den H in G ship

the different hides. ger pools I L wreck Bunny born) holes Oystercatcher was nests Salt Peregrines + GATE EIDER Darwin ISLAND Nesting Picnic rafts Marsh merlins zooming POOL area here Peggy (where MUD FLATS Braithwaite Visitor LAGOONS hide entrance TRACK Car Pool Bank hide park Look out Viper’s-bugloss flowers for the old Waders here railway t line u

c ighthouse Observation t L r

o

Loos hide h s

Bay hide s

g

e

l

WW2

e

Sea hide l

t building ruin t PRIVATE

Watch out for cormorants drying their divers i r l mme ion wings...they look a bit like giant bats! u p Skylarks S ath d Sea lavander Sea hide e You might see huge, swirling flocks of ir + parasol knot too. Can you see any deepwater T mushrooms markers...it’s the sea road for large Sand dunes ferries and cargo ships. Also watch out for porpoise rising and little terns BUG ZONE GULL MEADOW nesting. Time to search Cormorant for minibeasts

MORECAMBE BAY INBERGEN H T IDE Listen to the O IK Redshank + “oooee” call of N the curlew turnstone West of Walney Deep water wind turbines markers 5 MUD Marvellous meadows RESTAURANT Listen out for skylarks singing their HERE FOR beautiful song and stonechats WADER BIRDS two...their call sounds like 2 stones being hit together! Can you spot any ! Sand dunes MY The sand dunes are a great place to be a hardy plants like yellow-horned poppy YUM footprint detective. Can you also see the and viper’s-bugloss? You might also see spiky marrram grass starting to grow henbane, a poisonous plant farmed by here? Marram is a very tough plant that medieval monks, used as a painkiller... helps to bind the sand together; when it DON’T TOUCH! gets too hot or dry marram curls up to save water! Watch out for meadow brown and gatekeeper butterflies around the dunes and meadows too. THE GREAT OCEAN (IRISH SEA)

Disclaimer PLEASE NOTE: during very high winter tides (9.68m and above), the road to South Walney may flood for several Copyright © 2017 Cumbria Wildlife Trusts hours and be cut off for a period of time Map illustration by Custard Graphic Design Discover more at www.taletrails.co.uk www.custard-graphic-design.co.uk