What is your favourite RSPB reserve

RSPB Ouse Washes in Cambridgeshire, wonderfully quiet place, very difficult to find - and for the trainspotter in me there's always the distant railway line if the birds aren't doing much!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Q94EqcdC0U 

(made a video there last year)

Locally I think Saltholme and Bempton,then a little further afield Leighton Moss and Blacktoft Sand but they all have something good going for them and in our locality we have a number of good smaller reserves that are not RSPB but local Wildlife Trust.

Gwenffrd Dinas in the spring tops it for me I think.  A river bubbling by, pied flycatchers and redstarts in the ancient woods and mountains nearby.  To top it all, on the way for my first visit I saw a red squirrel!

Bempton is up there too!

Not visited as many as I'd have liked yet, but so far, it's probably South Stack! :-)

My favourites are the ones I work on - North Hill and Noup Cliffs in Orkney! Not been to too many others though really! Rainham is nice :)

I've only ever been to Bempton & that was great seeing the puffins & other birds. It's generally a nice place. We didn't go on any boat trips to see the puffins (not sure if they are run by someone else but remember reading about them) as I get very sea-sick. I once went on a boat trip from Scarborough to Whitby & have never felt / been so ill in my life!!!

I can't really do serious birdwatching but was looking on Fairburn Ings website last weekend & they appear to have activities for kids, guided walks & walks you can do at your own leisure. I expect some other reserves are similar. Hoping to have a family outing there  soon. Nearly went last Sunday but it was blowing a gale!

Does anyone know of any other good reserves (preferably in or around Yorkshire) to take children (8 & 10 years) to please?

Hi Louise, I can recommend both Fairburn Ings and Old Moor (on the border of Barnsley and Rotherham). My granddaughter loves Old Moor where they are great with kids - there's a small playground and activities such as pond-dipping.

There are kids' activity backpacks for hire there too; I'm not sure of the contents because my little 'un isn't old enough for that yet. Give them a call - they're very friendly and helpful.

Regards

Ian