Work has begun this week on the new 70m Discovery hide at WWT Martin Mere Wetland Centre to bring our visitors even closer to nature.
The new discovery hide will have 4 distinct sections depending on the type of experience visitors require or their level of birding expertise. Families and adults can sit in warmth and comfort in a discovery hide that will include sofas and scopes, or photographers and birdwatchers can chose to have a more wild experience in the open hide sections to hear thousands of Whooper swans feed on the mere throughout winter.
The current swan link hide was built in the 80s and at its time was the longest hide in Europe, allowing over 100 people to sit and view 2000 Whooper swans being fed over autumn and winter. This hide will remain in position over the winter and be removed next Spring. The new hide will replace this facility but also allow for indoor comfort for all visitors to get closer to nature no matter what the weather.
Construction work will continue throughout August and September, with the opening of the new hide scheduled for November. The hide has been partly funded by Lancashire Environmental Fund and Cargill.
The new hide is the latest development at Martin Mere that has included an otter enclosure, a 170 seat café, canoe and boat safari, adventure play area, WOW aviary and wild walk since 2009. Centre Manager, Nick Brooks, said: “WWT Martin Mere has opened up a new attraction every year for the last 6 years and it is planned to continue this trend so that we are always offering something new and exciting for our visitors. This new hide will allow people of all ages and abilities to watch, learn and be inspired by the unique sight of thousands of pink-footed geese and Whooper swans that visit us every year. It is going to be a great new attraction and we are looking forward to opening the hide later in the year.”
WWT Martin Mere Wetland Centre is open every day (except Christmas Day) from 9.30am to 6pm during summer months and parking is free of charge. Situated off the A59, it is signposted from the M61, M58 and M6. The Centre is also accessible via the Southport to Manchester and the Liverpool to Preston line by train from Burscough Rail Stations. Visit the web site http://www.wwt.org.uk/martinmere/ to find out what’s on all year round at Martin Mere and the other eight WWT Wetland Centres.
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