We're sorry to report that Pho Hill Hide at South Walney Nature Reserve was broken into recently and some wood from the hide was destroyed and burned in a bonfire. The police attended the scene and are pursuing the case.

It’s the second time this hide has been damaged and follows two episodes of vandalism at another hide on the nature reserve in 2022, which caused £500 worth of damage.

Paul Waterhouse, Reserves Officer at Cumbria Wildlife Trust said: “This is devastating, once again one of our popular bird hides has been mindlessly attacked. Our bird hides are very popular with visitors, who use them to view the amazing seabirds we have at South Walney, or to catch a glimpse of the grey seals that can be seen at high tide. We can’t understand why anyone would want to trash them in this way.”

“We attract around 10,000 visitors a year who enjoy walking on the footpaths, experiencing the visitor centre and finding out about the amazing wildlife we have here on Walney Island. It’s so sad that a few people want to spoil people’s enjoyment by attacking our hides. We’ve spent a considerable amount of money on the hides and other infrastructure at South Walney Nature Reserve.”

If you would like to donate to help repair and restore the vandalised bird hide, please click here. Thank you.

With stunning views across Morecambe Bay, South Walney Nature Reserve is full of interest and is a fantastic place for bird watching. It’s home to the only grey seal colony in Cumbria. They can be seen at high tide year round at their only haul-out location in Cumbria        

In summer it's a great place to see nesting gulls, eiders, oystercatchers and ringed plovers. Arctic, little and sandwich terns are summer visitors; these agile seabirds can be seen fishing from Sea Hide. Burnet moths and grayling butterflies are on the wing and viper's bugloss, yellow horned poppy and sea lavender are in flower.