Overview
Castle Espie is a wetland reserve managed by the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust on the banks of Strangford Lough, three miles south of Comber, County Down, Northern Ireland, in the townland of the same name.
Description
Situated 2km southeast of Comber, off the Downpatrick road (A22), Castle Espie is a haven for huge flocks of geese, ducks and swans. The landscaped grounds are dotted with birdwatching hides, and are great for fledgling naturalists, with family bird-feeding and pond-dipping sessions.
The best months to visit are May and June, when it's overrun with goslings, ducklings and cygnets, and October, when vast flocks of the 30,000 light-bellied brent geese (75% of the world's population) arrive from Arctic Canada.
There's a rustic children's play area in the woods, with a zip wire, rope swings and tree houses, as well as a good cafe with windows looking out on the ducks. It is part of the Strangford Lough Ramsar Site.
Belfast, Ireland
Ireland
URL:
http://www.lonelyplanet.com/ireland/northern-ireland/strangford-lough/attractions/castle-espie-wildfowl-wetlands-centre/a/poi-sig/1218132/359834