It's been a while since I visited, and the recent starling reports have reminded me that's time to go again.
The web site says that that closing time is 5pm - dos this include the car park? I'm not sure how this relates to the time the starling murmurations are likely to be at their best, which is around sunset, and wouldn't want to get locked in!
Assuming I can actually get in - my 'car' is actually a high-top Fiat Doblo campervan and there are height barriers into the car park. Does anyone know how tall they are? Probably a show-stopper - wouldn't want to drive down there and have to turn around.
I thought it was 5.30 car park close. As regards the starlings, I was down there a week ago on two succesive days and they were about at around 4/4.15 pm but I guess it does depend on the weather/light on any particular day. No idea how high the car park barriers but I guess you could park ouside?
Dai
Hi Neil,
The visitor centre is open 9am - 5pm but the car park is open 8.30am - 5.30pm and there's no height restriction during opening hours. We do also say to people that if they want to be here outside of those hours they're more than welcome to park just outside the car park gates.
You're right that the starlings are at their best at dusk, which is around 4/4.15pm so if you come down for 3.30/3.45pm you should have plenty of time to get to a good position - and grab a cuppa before the coffee shop closes!
Hope this helps and if you need anything else just give us a call on 01633 636363.
Thanks both!
4pm was earlier than I expected, so not really a problem regarding closing time, and I didn't recall any easy places to park outside so thanks for pointing that out.
Got down there this afternoon...cold but a lovely clear blue sky. As usual when I visit, I don't see many birds, but I know they're there because I can hear them and they left extra clues this time :-)
Only saw one big "blob" of starlings about 4:15 that caught me out of position - I was in the middle of the reserve and they were heading east over the wooded area and might have dropped down there. Nothing else came over as I headed in that direction so I gave up because it was rapidly getting dark.
Got back to the visitor centre to discover the coffee shop closed at 4 - I thought everything was meant to close at 5 :-( Doh! Serves me right for not double-checking on the website first.
Cool footprints! : )
"He had softly and suddenly vanished away---For the Snark was a Boojum, you see." The Hunting of the Snark, Lewis Carroll