Hello! This may well not be what you are expecting me to blog about, but, we have recently discovered that Pokemon Go has arrived at Old Moor. There are things to be collected on our reserve for this virtual reality game via the app and so after chatting to Liane yesterday, I said I'd put a bit of info out via a blog for anyone who might google 'RSPB Old Moor - Pokemon Go' and be wondering what exactly we are.
If you are planning a visit with your children we have a lovely long list of events they could do, as well as walk round the reserve collecting the Pokemon Go creatures. You can find our current list of events here.
We open at 9.30am and if you are not a member of the RSPB then you will need to pay to get into the reserve. (You can visit the courtyard, shop and cafe for free). The entrance charges are as follows: Adult £5, family £11, children £2.50, concessions £3.50. Free access from Old Moor to Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council 'Passport to Leisure' and 'Rothercard' cardholders. Should you decide you've had a lovely day out & want to come again, you can become members via our visitor centre. If you join at Old Moor then we get a part of your membership fee to help us manage the reserve. Membership is via a regular monthly direct debit and gives you free access to any RSPB reserve and free pond dipping/bug hunting kits for your children which are to pay for otherwise.
As we are a nature reserve, dogs are not permitted at any time of the reserve. Your dog can however have a drink of water in the courtyard, bowls provided - there are picnic benches for you to sit on here.
We have a fab cafe that serves breakfasts until about 11am, hot lunches until 2pm and then cold snacks and hot drinks until 4.30pm. More info on our cafe can be found here.
The visitor centre (and the toilets) closes at 5pm. The reserve is open until 8pm. The gates are locked promptly at 8pm. Should you find yourself still in the reserve after this time then the following applies.
It has already happened that a group of visitors looking for Pokemon Go to collect were on the reserve after 8pm and found themselves unable to get out as the gates were locked.
Please be very aware that the gates are locked at 8pm.
Finally for this blog, as the notice above says, please enjoy our lovely reserve, please enjoy collecting your Pokemon things but please do respect our wildlfe and other visitors, leave only with good memories and your newly collected Pokemon.
Thanks very much.