Durham Bird Club at 50 - Castle Lake Event, Sunday 11 May

with Castle Lake Conservation Group*

Free events:

Dawn chorus, guided walks for birds and botany, archaeology exhibitions, talks , refreshments and more

Come along and find out about the fantastic wildlife on your doorstep. Please park at Bishop Middleham Leisure Park or with consideration around the village.

07.00 – 09.00 Early morning bird walk. Meet at the open area adjacent to St Michael’s Church Bishop Middleham 7am prompt for a walk around Castle Lake and the bird hide.

10.00 – 13.00 Castle Lake Bird Hide open morning. Binoculars and telescopes available. Bird experts on hand to help with bird identification. All welcome – self guided route to the bird hide from Bishop Middleham Village.

10.00 – 13.00 Guided walks - Meet at Village Hall

10.00 Landscape interpretation and botany

11.00 Archaeology by Dig Ventures (led the dig at Castle Hill in 2021)

12.00 Bird walk around Castle Lake and bird hide

12.00 – 15.30 Bishop Middleham Village Hall. A range of conservation organisations and archaeology displays will be on view and experts will be on hand to talk about their work.

Children’s painting competition with prizes.

Refreshments in Bishop Middleham Village Hall.

13.00 – 14.00 Village Hall Illustrated Talks – Castle Lake Archaeology & Castle Lake and its Birds

14.30 - 15.30 Village Hall Illustrated Talks – The Great Fen & 50 Years of Birding in Durham

15:30 – 16.00 Celebrating 50 years of Durham Bird Club

Please note – the access routes to Castle Lake are not in the ownership of Durham Bird Club. As this is a working farm with livestock, there are multiple locked gates navigated via stiles. Therefore, access may not be suitable for all visitors.

Dogs are welcome, but to protect breeding birds, please ensure that you keep to paths outside of the stone walls and keep dogs on a lead if you walk through fields with livestock.

*Castle Lake Conservation Group

View from the hide at Castle Lake (Dr. Fred Milton)