ARE YOU ready for a Big Wild Summer? Join us at South Stack, Conwy, Ynys-hir, Lake Vyrnwy and Newport Wetlands National Nature reserve for wild days out for the family this summer.
From discovering amazing moths to a night under the stars, there’s loads for you to enjoy including our Big Wild Summer trail, where you’ll meet Detective Hoot and Constable Crumbs who need your help to solve a mystery in our Big Wild Summer activity pack.
Can you help them discover some of our night-time wildlife? You can creep along like a mouse with your mouse mask, discover which creatures are hiding in the dark on your spinner and make moon cookies for a midnight feast. You’ll also get a certificate for taking part!
Summer is a fantastic time to explore the great outdoors. Migratory birds such as swifts and swallows dart through the air, filling the skies with their songs. Bats and dragonflies are also on the wing – bats using their echolocation to pinpoint prey in the dark while dragonflies use their nearly 360° vision to hunt other insects.
Lizards have their babies at this time of year so you can keep an eye out for young common lizards, sand lizards, and slow worms, while baby toads, or ‘toadlets’, are taking their first steps on land.
To start your adventure and get full details on RSPB Big Wild Summer events, including locations, prices and times, head to rspb.org.uk/bigwildsummer
Let your summer adventure begin!
For a full list of events on offer at our nature reserves in Wales, visit: https://events.rspb.org.uk/Cymru
RSPB SOUTH STACK
Butterfly Trail
Why not join us for our self-lead Big Wild Summer trail and learn about the incredible butterflies that call South Stack their home.
Suitable for families
Duration: Approximately 1 hour
Cost: £3.50 per child
Tickets available to purchase from the RSPB South Stack Visitor Centre from 10am – 4pm
23 July – 7 August 10am-4pm
https://events.rspb.org.uk/events/20070
https://events.rspb.org.uk/southstackcliffs
RSPB CONWY
Big Wild Summer at RSPB Conwy
There are trails and activities to entertain the whole family under the watchful eye of Detective Hoot and Constable Crumbs. Get your pack filled with goodies and solve the mystery of the season.
Packs can be purchased for £3.50 each and are available from the reserve Welcome Hut on arrival.
No need to book.
https://events.rspb.org.uk/conwy
Bug Safari! (6-12 yrs)
There’s a secret world hidden all around us, full of amazing creatures. From the tops of the trees to the depths of the pond, join us as to explore different habitats and take a closer look at the incredible insects that live there.
Every Thursday during the summer holidays (28 July and 4, 11, 18 & 25 August), 11am-12.30pm
Booking required: https://events.rspb.org.uk/conwy
Members £5.50, non-members £7.50
Fun-Play Friday (3-8 yrs)
We’ll be putting out loads of stuff to play with – get stuck into den building, chalk drawing, badge making, and much more!
Please note that this event is weather dependent
Friday 29 July & Friday 26 August, 11am-3pm
No booking required. Free entry to event. Normal entrance fees apply if going around the nature reserve
Big Wild Sleepout at RSPB Conwy
Don’t miss this amazing opportunity to camp out on the reserve overnight! Just bring your family, your tent and food, and we’ll provide the adventure. Take part in a whole host of wild activities including bat and bird walks, moth traps, marshmallow toasting and much more.
Saturday 6 August, 6pm – Sunday 7 August, 11am
Booking required – https://events.rspb.org.uk/conwy
Members: Adult £25, Child £20. Non-members: Adult £30, Child £25
RSPB YNYS-HIR
A Big Wild Summer at RSPB Ynys-hir
Get ready for fun days out with the whole family at Ynys-hir. Get your exclusive Big Wild Summer activity pack and take part in our Summer Scavenger Hunt. Packs contain all kinds of goodies to help you solve the mystery of the season.
Pick up your self-lead trail sheet and Big Wild Summer activity pack from the visitor centre
£3.50 each
No need to book
9.30am – 4pm – Daily from 1 July – 31 August
https://events.rspb.org.uk/ynys-hir
RSPB LAKE VYRNWY
Big Wild Sleepout at Lake Vyrnwy
Join us as we sleep under the stars at Lake Vyrnwy. We’ll be dissecting owl pellets and exploring the river for minibeasts late afternoon before enjoying a spot of dinner, marshmallows and a quiz around the campfire.
As darkness falls, we’ll head out on a bat walk and set up a moth trap ready for the morning. After a good night’s sleep, there’ll be an early morning guided walk before breakfast, followed by some moth identification before we all pack up and head home.
Prices from £20 – £30 per person (includes camp pitch, dinner, breakfast and all activities – just bring your own tent and sleeping bags)
Saturday 30 July from 2pm
Booking essential: Lake Vyrnwy (rspb.org.uk)
RSPB NEWPORT WETLANDS
A Big Wild Summer at Newport Wetlands
It’s going to be a Big Wild Summer at Newport Wetlands National Nature Reserve. There will be a whole host of events and activities this summer with something for everyone.
Family favourites pond dipping and sweep netting sessions will be running throughout the school holidays and we will have a summer nature trail which is a great way for children to explore our wetland wildlife.
Do you know your damselflies from your dragonflies or a holly blue from an orange tip butterfly? The reserve is buzzing with these summer loving species, so why not join us for a butterfly and dragonfly walk for the big butterfly count. Bumblebees will also be a feature for us this summer so look for our new ‘Brilliant Bumblebees’ events and also a special shrill carder bee day to highlight one of our star species and the UK’s rarest bumblebee.
Why not make a day of it at Newport Wetlands, we have a café and shop so a great place to spend the whole day!
https://events.rspb.org.uk/newportwetlands
Before you head off home, don’t forget to visit the nature reserve shops at RSPB South Stack, RSPB Conwy and RSPB Newport Wetlands where you can buy all kinds of nature goodies from bug hotels, nest boxes and bird feeders, to bug ID kits and wildlife books so you can continue to explore nature on your own doorstep.
