Winter Lecture Programme 2026-27

 

Events are free to members but there is a small charge of £3 for visitors and guests.

Meetings are held at the URC Hall in Kents Bank Road at 7.30pm.

 

2026 Theme 1: BIODIVERSITY

 

Friday 09th Oct.  Dormice restoration and the Gaitbarrows NNR success 

7.30pm                Tracy Cumberbatch, Natural England

 

 

Friday 23rd Oct.  Birds of the Bay & Solway

7.30pm                Scott Petrek, CWT Reserves Officer

 

 

Friday 06th Nov.  The Earnse Bay Community Project

7.30 pm               Eve Mulholland,  Project Leader, The Earnse Project

 

Friday 20th  Nov.  Species’ Recovery Projects: Pine Martens, et al.

7.30 pm                Dr Mic Mayhew, S Cumbria Pine Marten Recovery Project

 

Friday 04th Dec.  Lichens in Cumbria 

7.30 pm               Pete Martin, County Recorder, Cumbria Lichen Group

 

Friday 18th Dec.  Social Evening

7.00pm                Show and tell, short talks from members;

                            plus photo competition results, natural history displays and

                            refreshments

 

 

2027 Theme 2: MANAGING FOR WILDLIFE

 

Friday 08th Jan. The Peatlands Project: restoring the Uplands of Cumbria 

7.30 pm              Dr Gemma Jennings, Head of Landscape Recovery, CWT 

 

 

Friday 22nd Jan. AGM, followed by Chair’s address

7.30 pm               John Adams Chair, GDNHS

 

 

Friday 05th Feb.  Farming and Nature Recovery 

7.30 pm               Dr Peter Welsh Trustee, John Strutt Conservation Foundation

 

 

Friday 19th Feb.  Natural History in the Drakensberg Mountains

7.30pm                Lynne Farrell, GDNHS, County Recorder, Isle of Mull & Islands

 

 

Friday 05th Mar.   Horticulture, Nurseries and Seedbanks

 7.30 pm               Adam McGinley, Head of Horticulture, Cumbria Wildlife Trust

  

Friday 19th Mar.   Conserving the White-faced Darter: an on-going experiment

 7.30 pm               David Clarke, County Recorder for Odonata

Scotch Argus butterfly

(Erebia aethiops) on

Marjoram ( Origanum vulgare).

Photo taken by Lynne Farrell

 

 

Cuckoo Pint flower

(Arum maculatum)

 Humphrey Head

Photo by David Benham

Spring outing to Staveley Woods                                 

Bluebells (Hyacinthoides)                                             

Photo by Andrew Musgrave                                          

Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus ) 

Humphrey Head 

Photo by © Rosemarie Holland 

A Scorpion Fly

(Panorma communis)

at Foulshaw.

Photo by Martin Chadwick

 

Summer Programme 2026 (Closed)

 

Events are free to members but there is a small charge of £3 for visitors and guests.

Meetings are held at the URC Hall in Kents Bank Road at 7.30pm.

Please sign up to join an excursion by email to Madeline Robertson, Field Meeting Booking Secretary, at madeline.bod@btinternet.com

 

APRIL             South Walney NR: Birds, Seals, Flowers

Mon 27th       Meet at 10.00am at S. Walney   SD215.620   

Easy               Leader: CWT Reserves Officer                Picnic

                                                                       

MAY               Bleacott Farm: smallholding restoration in Winster Valley LA11 6RZ

Tues 5th              Meet at 10.00am                          SD423.840

Easy              Leaders: Edward Mills & John Adams  Picnic                                                                                                            

MAY               Hale Moss (CWT reserve)           SD510.777

Tues 12th       Meet 10.00am at Lakeland Wildlife Centre

                        pm optional visit to Wildlife Centre     

Easy               Leader: Scott Petrek, CWT                      

                                               

JUNE              Duddon Valley, Troutal Farm, Landscape

Thurs 4th       Recovery Project LA20 6EF

                         Meet 10.30am at the farm         SD235.987

Easy               Leader: Paddy Deady, farmer                 Picnic

 

JUNE              Moth trapping at Halecat           SD435.836

Thurs 11th        Meet at 10.00am at Halecat, Witherslack, followed by Gardens/Nursery Tour

Easy               Leaders: Martin Chadwick & Guy Broome, GDNHS; Tom Attwood, Halecat                 Picnic

 

 

JUNE              Ormsgill Banks, Barrow: Butterflies and Orchids

Mon 15th       Meet at 10.30am at Ormsgill CP         SD192.712

Medium        Leaders: Martin Chadwick, & Roger Holme, GDNHS                                                         Picnic

 

JULY               Whitbarrow White Scar & Fell End:

Mon 6th         Rocks, Butterflies & Orchids walk LA8 8ES

Medium        Meet 10.00am on former A590 at access road to Ravens Lodge Farm - SD463.851

                        Leaders: Sylvia & Peter Woodhead          Picnic

 

2.00 pm        Latterbarrow, CWT Nature Reserve   

Leader: Scott Petrek, CWT Reserves Officer 

 

JULY               Hay Bridge Nature Reserve, Rusland Valley

Sat 25th          Meet at 10.30am                                   SD 336.876       

Medium        Leaders: Jim Shaw, JSCF Reserve Manager

                        & Peter Woodhead, GDNHS                     Picnic

Joint meeting with Wilmslow Guild

AUGUST        Evening Tree Walk in Grange

Weds 19th        Meet at 6.00pm at Grange Station 

Easy               Leaders: David Benham, John Adams             

 

SEPTEMBER Evening bat walk at Castle Head Field Centre

Tues 8th              Meet at 7.00pm at Castle Head         SD 421 798

or Weds 9th Leader: Gail Armstrong, N Lancs Bat Group

Easy