Castle Espie Wetland Centre ( Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust) is set on the shores of the stunning Strangford Lough in Northern Ireland where almost the entire population of Light-bellied Brent Geese reside during the winter months.
Castle Espie has a wild reserve and a collection of wildfowl from around the world. The centre consists of a series of flooded quarries which were used in the nineteenth century for limestone and clay extraction. The site adjoins Strangford Lough, one of the most important marine sites in Europe, and the centre affords the best viewing of waterfowl feeding areas on the Lough. Rare fossils and a fascinating industrial archaeology make the site of special interest to historians.
Despite its small size, Castle Espie has a range of wetland habitats - wet woodland, salt marsh, deep lakes, wader scrapes, and most importantly the mudflats of Strangford Lough.
Visitors that enter the centre are greeted with a play park for children and a magnificent gift shop suitable for all ages. The coffee shop is renowned for its homemade tray bakes and scones.
There are two main walks for visitors. One is the Wildfowl Walk where you can feed captive wildfowl. The second walk, the Woodland Walk, is where the visitor can see the natural countryside in all its splendour.