Bird PlacesCampfield Marsh
Bowness-on-Solway, Cumbria · RSPB · 17.4 km away
coastal1 hidewheelchair accessibleFree entry
WWT (Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust) reserve · Dumfries, Dumfries and Galloway
Caerlaverock Wetland Centre birdwatching guide
Caerlaverock sits on the Scottish shore of the Solway, where the whole Svalbard population of barnacle geese spends the winter on saltmarsh and grazing land. Heated observatories and a tower hide look out over the merse, and whooper swans arriving from Iceland are fed within a few metres of the glass on winter afternoons.
Key facts
- Habitat
- coastal
- Size
- Not recorded
- Entry fee (adult)
- Not published
- Entry fee (child)
- Not published
- Membership required
- No
- Hides
- Not published
- Wheelchair access
- Yes
- Car park
- Yes
- Toilets
- Yes
- Dogs
- Not allowed
- Status
- open
- Best seasons
- autumn, winter
Species by season
| Season | Species | Likelihood | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| autumn | Curlew (Numenius arquata) | common | — |
| winter | Barnacle Goose (Branta leucopsis) | common | — |
| winter | Peregrine (Falco peregrinus) | occasional | — |
| winter | Whooper Swan (Cygnus cygnus) | common | — |
Getting there
Dumfries, Dumfries and Galloway
View on OpenStreetMap · Official website
Facilities & opening
Thursday to Saturday, 10am–5pm (last admission 4pm); more days from autumn
Frequently asked questions
When should I visit Caerlaverock for the geese?
From late September to April. Barnacle geese arrive from Svalbard in autumn, and whooper swan feeds run through the winter months.
Nearby reserves (all organisations)
Explore more
- All reserves in Dumfries
- Birdwatching in Dumfries and Galloway
- More coastal reserves in Dumfries and Galloway
Information last updated 25 July 2026.