Top 5 things to experience this Christmas at Slimbridge
Winter is a magical time to visit Slimbridge. From seeing Santa with all the family to witnessing our wonderful wildlife spectacle.
Winter is a magical time to visit Slimbridge, from seeing Santa with all the family to witnessing our wonderful wildlife spectacle. See below Christmas highlights and come and grace us with your presents...
Santa's Coming to Slimbridge & Christmas Activities
On 11, 12, 18 & 19 December treat your loved ones to a delicious meal at Slimbridge. You’ll get to meet Santa and his elves over a tasty all day breakfast and even get to receive a gift from the man himself. Then wrap up warm, fill your lungs with fresh air and make some magical memories this festive season as you soak up our wonderful wildlife and enjoy an adventure packed day in over 100 acres of nature filled wetland paradise.
During the Santa weekends and 20 - 22 December, enjoy some festive fun by taking part in our Christmas craft activities, elf den building and marshmallow toasting! Craft your own festive decorations in Toad Hall, outside the cinema between 11am - 3.30pm. From 11am - 2.30pm, come and join the elves at South Lake education hut to toast the perfect marshmallows. Can you build an elf a home, a castle or even a whole village! Have your 'elf a Merry little Christmas...Please note den building and marshmallow toasting are weather dependent.
Wild Winter Bird Feed
Yule be sorry to miss this fantastic winter spectacle! From the comfort of the Peng Observatory, hear our warden’s commentary as they feed the thousands of wintering wild birds and beautiful Bewick’s swans that have flown all the way from Arctic Russia to be here. The wild bird feed takes place daily at 4pm.
Wetland Heroes App
This year we launched ‘Wetland Heroes’ a new, free app for families which has been created by Aardman. This interactive mobile experience encourages you to explore the full extent of Slimbridge throughout the different seasons, particularly the lesser known areas - through fact finding missions and fun challenges that can be played by the whole family.
This winter, discover which duck eiderdown comes from and how to guess the age of a mute swan. Can you tell the difference between a common frog and a common toad? You’ll soon become the expert of your family! Download the app on your next visit and share your experience with us using #WetlandHeroes
But wait—there’s myrrh...
Duck Decoy Demonstrations
Every Saturday at 2pm, until February, experience our Duck Decoy Demonstrations. When WWT founder, Sir Peter Scott arrived at Slimbridge in 1946 he realised the potential of the onsite Victorian duck decoy as a method for catching birds for conservation including adding identification leg rings – allowing birds to be monitored and studied for years to come. Watch the age old practice for yourselves at our demonstrations.
Wonderful wildlife
Winter is a fantastic time to visit Slimbridge with up to 30,000 wild wintering ducks, geese and swans feeding and roosting on the reserve. What wonderful wildlife will you spot this time of year? Recent highlights have included a short-eared owl sitting on the sea wall, 80+ white-fronted geese, 50+ Bewick's swans, the illusive bittern, dark-bellied brent geese and a Ross's goose - to name a few! Not to mention the marvellous murmuration of jackdaws at dusk. Head to the hides and watch wildlife you'll never fir-get!
Share you seasonal snaps and stories with us using #MySlimbridge
