Take to the water on WWT Martin Mere’s brand new canoe safari attraction
A brand new, unique experience in the North West is officially opening on Monday 11 April at WWT Martin Mere Wetland Centre in Burscough, Ormskirk: Canoe Safari.
In June 2010, WWT Martin Mere started work to create 2.4 hectares of new reed bed, wet woodland and wet grassland (swamp) to offer families and adults a safe and fun way to explore wetlands and its rich biodiversity in a canoe.
The wetland creation project, funded by the North west Regional Development Agency (NWDA), Lancashire Environmental Fund, SITA Trust, ICET and WWT, provides an enjoyable way of spotting insects and wildflowers, as well as some of the UK’s most threatened species. It provides a nesting habitat for Reed Bunting and Water Vole (both UK and Local BAP list species) and other important species of conservation concern such as Bearded Tit, Sedge Warbler and Reed Warbler.
Thousands of people will now be able to enjoy spotting herons and sparrowhawks flying over head as well as moorhen, coot, shelduck and inquisitive mallard exploring around the boats. The occasional kingfisher and lapwing have also been seen to offer fantastic photography opportunities.
The self-guided canoe safari involves three people sitting in a Canadian- style canoe for up to an hour as a fun and interactive way of getting close to wildlife and nature. There are no age limits or weight restrictions to go on the canoes, just a simple rule that as long as you can securely fit into the buoyancy aid you can take part.
Andy Wooldridge, Centre Manager, said: “It is always exciting to create and develop wetland habitat and this is a unique opportunity for our members and visitors to experience wetland wildlife. Working on a project from start to finish is very rewarding as you can see an area that was un-inhabited start to flourish with a whole range of flowers, insects and birds. This will be a very unique and popular attraction in the North West.”
Nick Brooks-Sykes, Director of Tourism at the NWDA, commented: “The visitor economy is worth £3 billion a year and supports 54,000 jobs in Lancashire. Investment in facilities is vital if we are to continue to attract and increase visitor numbers. I commend WWT Martin Mere for having the foresight to develop such a unique addition to this already fabulous visitor attraction.”
In addition to the canoe safari there will also be a brand new woodland playarea, a permanent den building location within the trees and a kiosk open every day selling a selection of hot and cold drinks, soups and ice -creams. There will also be completely water-free odourless composting toilets. These unisex toilets, the first to be created in England, will be opening in May and are accessible for wheelchairs and contain baby changing facilities.
For disabled access and young children, Martin Mere will also have an electric boat to do boat tours around the wetlands and this will be available from May onwards.
Angela Haymonds, Secretary of ICET, continued: “The fantastic new canoe safari will ensure that visitors can get up close to the wetlands and the wildlife that exists within them. It will be a journey of discovery and an excellent example of what can be achieved to enhance the diversity of grasslands and wetlands, whilst also providing a fun and educational experience when there is sufficient funding to take a project forward. I hope all visitors will enjoy their safari experience.”
The safari will be open everyday from 11 April to 31 October from 10.30am in the morning and there is a charge of £5 per canoe. Groups can pre-book times to go on the experience. For more information relating to the new attraction, please call 01704 895181.
We would like to thank the following organisations for a financial contribution to the project:
Northwest Development Agency
SITA Trust
Ibstock Cory Environmental Trust
Lancashire Environmental Trust
The AG and NC Youngman Trust via Equity Trustees Ltd
The Spear Charitable Trust
The Crag House Charitable Trust
N Smith Charitable Settlement
The Rainford Trust
Crown Paints
Cargill
Regatta
United Utilities
Booths
Huntapac
Arco Ltd
