Wildlife Walk Nature Trail
"One visit just isn't enough!"
Woodland Trail
The Hollybush Woodland is four and a half acres where we planted 1500 native trees in 2009, supported by The Woodland Trust.
The largest number of trees planted were 400 common Oak trees’, but other varieties included Maple, Silver Birch, Wild Cherry, Crab Apple, Hazel, Blackthorn, and Dog Rose.
In the centre is a bird hide overlooking the pond. Look out for the woodcarvings around the woodland maze! There is a fun quiz to complete as you discover the 14 carved animals.
"One visit just isn't enough!"
Walk on the Wildside
Join our staff as they feed the Otters, Polecats, Red Foxes and Scottish Wildcat. Follow the animal keeper for the opportunity for a chat and to ask any questions and to see these amazing creatures up close.
Click here to see the feeding times.
Wildlife Watch Nature Trail
In conjunction with The Cheshire Wildlife Trust we have developed a Wildlife Watch Nature Trail which links the native species exhibits at our visitor attraction with the wildlife that can be found both on our farm and in the wider countryside around us.
We already have some remarkable native breeds on display here at Cotebrook Shire Horse Centre – from Red foxes, Scottish wild cats and polecats, to barn owls and red deer – and now you will be able to head off around the Wildlife Watch Trail to discover what amazing wildlife makes its home in the ponds, trees, hedgerows and fields around our farm.
You will be able to follow the Wildlife Watch Nature Trail with the help of a trail leaflet to guide you, and information boards in the bird hides and field shelters where you can observe wildlife, especially birds, waterfowl, and grey squirrels at close quarters.
Good To Know
A stroll around our Wildlife Watch Nature Trail takes about an hour where you can visit the horses further afield and see if you can spot the hidden wildlife.
The way marked trail takes you past our three lakes and pools, Bullswater, Kingswater and the Hollybush pool where you can look out for Swans, Herons, Moorhens, Coots, Canada Geese and various breeds of duck.
There are bird hides so that you can observe wildlife at close quarters.
Also spot the Fox earth & Badger sets and see if you can name the many different trees you will pass.
Look in the trees around the farm for the bird boxes we have put out to encourage owls and tits etc.
You will also walk by our two wildlife areas at Kingswater and Blind Mares Bog. These areas have been given back to nature and left to regenerate themselves.
The water here is spring fed and this wetland area is specially designed to encourage invertebrates to inhabit and the willows have grown here naturally providing shade. Toads, Frogs, Great Crested Newts, a Water Voles nest and Grass Snakes have been spotted here and Perch, Rudd and Roach are fish species in the lakes and ponds.
A variety of wildflowers make a colourful display in spring and summer.
