On an exceptionally warm and sunny day after the May Bank Holiday our group was treated to a guided tour/safari of this large shooting estate above Holwick. This is also part of the larger Upper Teesdale and Moorhouse SSSI. Roger Sunderland in our group had arranged our visit which was suggested and led by Head Gamekeeper Andrew Dent. We parked our cars in the imposing grounds of (the usually hidden) grand Holwick Lodge and, after a welcome and introductions by Andrew we were assigned to a 4-car convoy of 2 Land Rovers (one driven by Chris), Roger’s Range Rover and my Forester. We then proceeded off road up the gravel track from the lodge, through the scar, and onto the high moor, Lapwings and Curlews everywhere. We soon saw Lapwing and Red Grouse chicks.
At our first stop Andrew showed us a Lapwing nest with 4 eggs and explained the perils faced by ground nesting birds; Lynne also spotted a few Teesdale Violets in flower at our feet. We continued in convoy at a slow pace, with a stop by the beck (which leads to Bleabeck Force) to see Common Sandpipers, and a Dipper; all along the drive we spotted Meadow Pipits, Skylarks in song, and quite a few Wheatears. Many of us had walked the lower track coming off the Green Trod walk but, in the vehicles, we climbed higher, passing various lines of Grouse Butts. In the warm 22C sunshine we enjoyed ever more extensive views of the dale and surrounding Fells.
At a particularly productive stop we were treated to a distant Short-eared Owl hunting over the rough pasture; we all watched this very pale male for some time as it quartered the area near its nesting site on the hunt for small mammals. While we were watching this Roger located a male Merlin which sat obligingly on a white marker post; we all managed to see the bird through our ‘scopes (and through the heat haze). At this stop Andrew explained some of the management techniques which create the mosaic of heather blocks (the estate uses mechanical methods rather than burning), and the traps for catching stoats and weasels which prey on the ground nesting birds.
Climbing steadily higher and higher overlooking Cronkley Fell we eventually reached an amazing spot looking down over Widdybank Fell, Falcon Clints and Cow Green Reservoir and its dam; with Cross Fell and the Dun Fells on the horizon and Mickle Fell behind us. Not even our experienced fell walkers had ever seen this panorama. Stopping by a ravine Andrew spotted a fine male Ring Ouzel below us near its hidden nest site and soon we saw the female and the chick; great views!
It was now time for our picnic lunches, and we stopped at a shooters hut set out with tables and chairs, two leather sofas and an impressive stone fireplace (the latter was not needed as we enjoyed the coolness of the hut out of the hot sun). After the break we made our way back down the track stopping at various points and then congregating off track in a grassy area where we had good views and calls of Golden Plovers. En route back to the Lodge we stopped to see numerous Black Grouse in the fields below.
Everyone agreed we had an exceptional tour with spectacular views, good birds, and a passionate and knowledgeable guide in Andrew. Our thanks were given to Roger and Andrew.
Report by Andrew Lapworth