A winter wonderland inspired by the art of Sir Quentin Blake

Grab your best bobble hat, pick up a Quentin Blake ‘Drawn to Water’ illustrated guide, and get exploring!

While other parts of the natural world hibernate, wetlands come to life as thousands of birds make WWT Washington their home over winter.

You can explore this wonderful winter wonderland using the artwork of Sir Quentin Blake as your guide, in WWT’s final collaboration in a year-long partnership of nature inspiration with the well-known illustrator.

The trail - which starts on Saturday 16 December - will take you around an array of scenes set to impress with wildlife hot spots and fantastic winter scenery.

Let your creativity run wild with wintery art activities for all ages and abilities, inspired by Quentin Blake’s distinctive drawings. Or hone your photography skills surrounded by glistening frost and skies filled with beating wings.

At this time of year, Wader Lake sees an influx of Eurasian teal, lapwing and redshank. But the true spectacle is at dusk when hundreds of curlew fly in to roost (pictured below) - a true moment of awe and a play on all the senses.

Whether you’re a seasoned spotter or just looking for a day out with a difference, there is so much to see and do. It’s not just the sight of birds that can warm the coldest of days with plenty of noise going on in nature.

Noisy flocks of jackdaw come together en masse overhead at WWT Washington and put on a spectacular show just as the light fades. If lucky visitors time it right, there’s nothing like witnessing the phenomena of a murmuration, when a shape-shifting flock of jackdaw come together to form an art installation in the sky before dropping down to their roost for the night at neighbouring Nissan buildings.

WWT hides are the best place to make a hasty retreat to if the weather turns. Not only can visitors shelter from the dropping temperatures, but they also offer prime viewing spots to see fantastic wetland and woodland species.

And for those wanting to spend some more time indoors in a cosy environment, the Waterside Café has a hearty winter menu ready to warm you up after a day of exploring the Drawn to Water trail, which also includes the last of three collectable bookmarks!

WWT Washington is open every day throughout the festive season – aside from Christmas Day. So, wrap up warm, raise your eyes to the skies and see first-hand why winter can be the most wonderful time of the year.

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