Sulwath Connections
Celebrating and enhancing the Scottish Solway Coast and river valleys
Wigtown Bay to Loch Ken Interpretation
Partners:
The project aims to provide upgraded and improved interpretation and promotion to a range of heritage and cultural sites within the area linking the wide range of opportunities and ensuring that range of local communities can benefit and engage in their development.
The project will provide a combination of a seasonal assistant ranger to help promote the Ospreys and other local wildlife and environmental opportunities and provide a package of interpretative installations at sites of interest within the wider area.
One of the key elements of this is the "in My view" programme which works with visitors and locals to identify and speak about their favourite views and what they value about them.
Visitor facilities and interpretation in the Wigtown Bay Local Nature Reserve and Loch Ken areas have been developed over a number of years but have gained new impetus with the arrival of nesting Ospreys at Wigtown Bay and the development of the Red Kite trail in the Loch Ken area and similar work in Creetown to show remote video footage of Red Squirrels and nesting Peregrine falcons. Coupled with this has been the development of the Wigtown Book town theme which has further increased interest in tourism and natural/cultural heritage in the area.
Wigtown Bay Nature Reserve
Wigtown Bay is an important estuary for wildlife. Fresh waters from the Rivers Cree and Bladnoch mixes with sea water, creating large areas of mud flats and salt marshes. Many of the animals and plants living here cannot be found in other habitats.
Wigtown Bay is the largest Local Nature Reserve in Britain. Traditional activities such as wildfowling and fishing continue, but are managed to ensure economic benefits for the local community and a long-term future for the Bay's wildlife.
Wigtown Bay is constantly changing. A long history of human occupation and natural environmental change has altered the pattern of land and sea.
Wigtown Bay Local Nature Reserve consists of a range of habitats supporting internationally important wildlife populations.
Merse
The Reserve includes extensive areas of salt marsh, known on the Solway as ‘merse' and referred locally as the ‘inks'. The flora is dominated by tough salt-resistant plants such as Red Fescue Grass, and Thrift. Grazed by sheep and cattle, the salt marshes also provide food for wintering wildfowl, and in particular large numbers of Whooper Swans, Pink-footed and Greylag Geese.
Mud
The largest area of sand and mud flats on the outer Solway is at Wigtown Bay. They appear barren and lifeless, but beneath the surface is an abundance of shrimps, worms, and shellfish, food for Oystercatchers, Curlews and Redshanks. On the mud surface Eel Grass is the only flowering plant. Wigeon, Pintail and Shelduck find food amongst its long slender sheaves.
Sea Water
The estuary is the feeding ground for rare fish including Sparling (Smelt), Allis Shad and Twaite Shad, which migrate up the rivers to spawn. Otters are common, but footprints in the mud are more often seen than the animals themselves.
Fresh Water
The fresh water wetlands behind Wigtown Harbour have recently been created on farmland. Sluices control the water levels, and the shallow flooding is ideal for wading birds and ducks, such as Lapwing and Shoveler.
Watching Wildlife
A hide at Wigtown Harbour gives good views over the River Bladnoch, the merse and the fresh water wetland. Access for the disabled is available from the car park at the Harbour. On the east side of the Bay the A75 road follows the Reserve boundary. Several lay-bys offer distant views of feeding birds and spectacular views of sunsets over shimmering mud flats.
Wigtown Bay Management Committee
The Wigtown Bay Management Committee has representatives from community councils, user groups, landowners and statutory organisations.
Ranger Service
Dumfries and Galloway Council operate a Ranger Service which is responsible for the day to day running of the Reserve. As well as managing the permit system and monitoring the wildlife of the Bay, the Ranger leads guided walks and school groups.
Scottish Natural Heritage
Scottish Natural Heritage plays an active role in the management of Wigtown Bay, including the provision of grant-aid funding.
Wildfowling Clubs
Wildfowling Clubs around the Bay provide voluntary wardens who assist in managing the wildfowling permit system.
