Experiences

When you visit Corsewall Estate, we’d like you to have the opportunity to hit the ground running and have one or two activities arranged in advance of your arrival. We’ve put together a list of a number of local outdoor experts from birdwatchers and rangers to foragers and farmers, all of whom would be delighted to spend a morning or afternoon with you and share their knowledge.

Bird watching/Nature and Wildlife Walks

sea birds

Sea birds on Loch Ryan

Go bird watching or explore Corsewall Estate on a ‘walk and talk’ style nature and wildlife stroll with professional naturalist, Steve Grover, Kirkcolm’s very own ‘Chris Packham’. Steve’s knowledge of the wildlife and birdlife on Loch Ryan and around the Corsewall Estate is unrivalled. Having lived in the area for over 10 years, there’s barely a day goes by when Steve’s not out with his tripod and binoculars.

Loch Ryan is one of the most significant wildlife sites in Dumfries and Galloway and Scotland. It is an important location for a wide range of resident and migratory birds including waders and wildfowl. In particular, in winter, the Wig, which is within easy walking distance from Corsewall Estate, is ideally placed to see red-throated divers, Slavonian grebes and red-breasted mergansers, all of which occur on Loch Ryan in nationally important numbers.

Red squirrels

Red squirrels

Here, too, experience close encounters with pale-bellied brent geese from arctic Canada; witness the spectacle of the grey goose migration; or search the loch for rarer waterbirds amidst large rafts of scaup. During the summer months oystercatchers, gannets, terns, a nationally significant flock of moulting eiders, plus various warblers can also be spotted along the loch’s shoreline.

In addition, Steve can also guide on woodland walks around the estate to track down the resident wildlife from red squirrels and roe deer to hares and woodpeckers.

Whether you are interested in the wildlife, birds, the seashore or plants, Steve can offer you a fascinating local tour. To check availability and cost contact Steve direct on tel: 01776 853593.

Freelance Ranger and Biosphere Dark Sky Ranger – Elizabeth Tindal

Elizabeth – Dark Skies Park Ranger

Corsewall Estate Holiday Cottages are near the UK’s first Dark Skies Park – so we benefit from having very little light pollution, which means we’re a great location to enjoy the starry nights to their maximum. Book an evening’s stargazing with Biosphere Dark Sky Park Ranger, Elizabeth Tindal.

Elizabeth can rendezvous with you at your holiday cottage, set up a safe campfire and help you find your way around the stars and constellations such as the plough, north star, summer triangle, Cygnus, Cassiopeia or Orion and you can learn a few of the stories about the stars, how far away they are, why they sparkle and why they are different colours.

Beautiful mud face creation – girl with flowers in her hair

With her ‘Freelance Ranger‘ hat on, Elizabeth can also offer a range of daytime activities here at Corsewall which are ideal for a family or a small group from beach combing, den making and teepee building to natural weaving, rocket making, mud face making and mini beast hunting.

To check availability and cost, call or email Elizabeth direct on tel: 01671 820814 or 07842 241141 or email: elizabeth.tindal@freelanceranger.com

Wild Food Foraging

If you fancy foraging for wild food then Mark Williams at Galloway Wild Foods is your man. Scotland’s only full-time foraging tutor, he has worked for organisations such as the RSPB and the National Trust, has written many articles in the press and appeared on numerous television and radio programmes from Radio 4’s Food Programme with Sheila Dillon to BBC’s Landward with celebrity chef, Nick Nairn.

Mark runs a range of regular foraging events from guided walks and tuition on woodland to hedgerow and coastal foraging in Galloway throughout the year and dates from March 2019 will soon be available.

He is also available for private bookings, whereby he can tailor a bespoke event for a family or group of friends around the Corsewall Estate and down on the shores of Loch Ryan. Be it for a birthday or anniversary or just a chance to celebrate a family get-together, he’ll fix up a fun afternoon or day’s foraging for edible mushrooms, wild plants, seaweed and even wild beasties!

To check availability and cost, email Mark on mark@gallowaywildfoods.com

Landscape Photography

Port Logan Beach and Lighthouse – by Pete Robinson

Blessed with some of the most beautiful and spectacular scenery here in south west Scotland, why not learn how to make the most of your holiday photographs?  If you’re a keen photographer and would like some tips on how to get the best out of your camera, talented Galloway-based professional photographer Pete Robinson is your man.

The bespoke courses, which can take place at Corsewall, are aimed at the beginner and keen amateur photographers with the desire to “get out of auto” and take control of the camera. Learn more about exposure, composition, details, critique & processing under Pete’s guiding hand.  And Corsewall Estate is the perfect location – there are so many opportunities for your camera here from Loch Ryan and the sandy beaches to the woodland and the impressive trees.

For further information, contact Pete at primaging@icloud.com, call him on 07827 424308 or visit: www.primaging.net