Goldcliffe

Ant

Its past the pub, which I think is now closed, round a bend and on the right hand side there is a very small bridge over the reen, no railings around it just a small one car width hump back bridge.  You go carefully over the bridge into a small clearing - at the moment it is very muddy - normally there is only room for about three or four cars to park.  There is a metal gate which after you go through you can see the three platforms on the right hand side.  From them you can see the lagoons and a man-made shingle island which is usually packed during the breeding season.  species are the avocets who nest there, but there has also been spoonbills on occasions and keep an eye out for a resident hunting peregrine!  When you are in the vicinity, keep a sharp eye out for the resident marsh harrier - i have seen it perched on the top of telegraph poles on my last two visits down there - and when it takes flight, it is indeed an impressive sight!

Dai

Dai

Thanks .. .I shall investigate further!

I am pretty sure I know where it was, is there a small wooden sign pointing over the little bridge?

Ant

Ant,

not sure of sign but easiest way to find it is go past the pub and follow the road round to the right (stay on the same road) and over the stone bridge over the reen.

you should see a grass area on the right hand side the entrence to the lagoons is at the start of the grass area (goldcliff common), just after the house.

I suggest you park at the roadside (keep two wheels on the road;) ) and go over the bridge on foot 

Keep an eye on the field & hedges to the left / east of the path to the platforms as this time of year you can expect migrants including Whitethroat, Lesser Whitethroat, and whimbrel, wheatear are often on the sea wall at the end of the path

it's also worthwhile carrying on down the road past the goldcliff lagoons for a few minutes in the car and turning sharp right where the road  continues to the left The sea wall here can produce a good variety. There's a small parking area and you can walk along the sea wall - the area is more rocky here and can hold waders like purple sandpiper and such. The harriers tend to hunt the foreshore here too

Ahh .. now I've been to seawall! Got mobbed my house martins getting ready to migrate, and having a later summer scoff of the insects we were disturbing .. awesome feeling to see them swoop by you within a couple of feet .. utterly impossible to photograph of course! ;o)

Thanks for that .. might have another wander down there next week. Wonder if the reserve hide will be finished?

Ant

Rough and ready map may help

Just had a thought (Ow LOL), this is a zip of a google earth KMZ file that shows route from the Farmers Arms Pub Car park to the Goldcliff lagoons carpark

Just unzip and doubleclick the .KMZ file to show in Google earth  (assume you have access to GE)

Thanks again ... ;o)

Ant