Article

Bassenthwaite; Lakeland Wildlife Park, Cumbria

North Cumbria near the English borders with Scotland is not where you'd expect to find unusual wildlife. Think again.

Set in 24 acres of beautiful countryside, the Lake District Wildlife Park has over 100 species of animals. I am usually opposed to zoos and such but these animals are beautifully looked after in wide open lakeland moorlands and are well cared for. Starting life as a farm, it became Trotters World of Animals and developed into the Lake District Wildlife Park. It has become a centre for conservation, education about animals. It is about fifteen minutes from Keswick.

The park's location north of Keswick

Displays and handling

During the day there are regular displays and animals handling sessions where the staff and keeper share their knowledge. They are very patient. The rabbits were well chosen for even the youngest children to touch. They were so gentle. The staff give clear instructions to wash hands after all sessions and there is a hygiene station with anti bacterial products to use freely during the visit.

Look at the wingspan on that bird on the left of the first picture. The vulture was feeling uncooperative that day though. It sat for 45 minutes on a post and wouldn't move. The bird keeper's knowledge was outstanding.

Just some of the beautiful animals

meerkats

The meerkats are a huge favourite with Brits and their area was always full of visitors. They seem to have sharp hearing and their ears twitch as they focus in on sounds. One of them seems to be a digger.

Kookaburra above

This bird was so beautiful. His feathers looked as soft as silk and he sat still and patient.

The Capybara was like an over sized guinea-pig!

When I looked into one pen I thought nothing was in there. But when I glanced into a corner a new born tapir was sleeping. Stunning to see. My photo couldn't do it justice because of the angle but I was pleased with the result because it was just as it was. Natural. It was a privilege to see.

The dwarf zebu were very interesting with a small hump on their back. I couldn't see what the natural purpose of the hump would be.

The park has started a breeding programme of Micro pigs and is an important centre for this.

I couldn't find out what this bird was called but it was sos till and beautiful. I wondered if it was a heron.

RHEGED

And, of special interest to me of course, there was a display of the ancient Celts who had lived in this area of Britain in ancient times when it was called RHEGED A lovely addition to the site and excellent historical information too.

This is a beautiful attraction in one of England's most beautiful places.

Oct 2016

I made a return visit to the park this week and saw this magnificent creature. Just look at those superb horns!

Updated October 31, 2016

Comments

DerdriuMarrinerMay 6, 2024

Your comment below on Nov. 17, 2019, in answer to Mira's previous observation and question intrigues me.

What kind of snakes did the animal handling sessions involve?

MiraNov 18, 2019

Those are great points :) But the snake, hm . . . :D

VeronicaNov 17, 2019

Mira,
We like to take the grandchildren here because the animals are well cared for and have huge open space. That is how we want the children to see animals.

We went again just 3 weeks ago. The animal handling sessions were guinea pigs and SNAKES....My grandson loved them.

MiraNov 17, 2019

I really enjoyed this :) The baby tapir is so cute :) And so is that thin-legged bird. Maybe I should go visit the zoo here again. But you're right, having these birds and animals free on the moors is much different.

VeronicaJul 30, 2017

thanks Big bro

VeronicaJul 30, 2017

DERDRIU

Aw ty . It was sooo new born that it was very still and sleepy. Easy to photograph apart from the angle.

frankbeswickJul 22, 2017

Dear All, Veronica is away for the week celebrating her birthday at a holiday cottage in Yorkshire.She asked me to tell you that she will reply to any comments when she returns.

DerdriuMarrinerJul 22, 2017

Veronica, The sleeping baby tapir is my favorite. Did the little darling stay still for the photo op or were there the little mouth and paw movements so adorable in sleeping felines yet so counterproductive to that perfect still shot?

frankbeswickOct 31, 2016

The bird in the picture seems to be a heron.

frankbeswickOct 31, 2016

The Celts [Britons] are still there. The Anglo-Saxons never displaced them and they remained, intermarrying with the Norse settlers who came in the ninth and tenth centuries. Few Anglo-Saxons settled in Cumbria.

VeronicaOct 31, 2016

I made a return visit to the Wildlife Park this week . I felt these magnificent horns above were worth recording !

VeronicaJul 19, 2016

thanks for that !

frankbeswickJul 19, 2016

Strange, isn't it? I have known you since 1957 and only in the last year or so have I learned that you have a talent for photography.

VeronicaJul 15, 2016

TY so much. I love taking the photos.We go to the Lakes every Autumn for our wedding anniversary and when we have visited with our children and grandchildren we try to visit here. There is something for everyone here.

candy47Jul 15, 2016

Thank you Veronica for such a lovely stroll through the park. Your photos are stunning!

VeronicaJan 23, 2016

Thank you .

Have a good weekend.

frankbeswickJan 22, 2016

Veronica, I think that the pair of us have complementary interests. Clearly, you know more about the Lake District than I do, but I know more about Wales. It makes sense that you write about the Lakes, while I write about other places,such as North Wales. On matters of walking in the Lakes you have much to say, so when the time is right, say what is in your heart and mind. Of course, I have the motive to go to Wales, as I like to visit my daughter in Anglesey, which for those who know not Britain, is a large island off the coast of North Wales.

VeronicaJan 22, 2016

It is my favourite part of the lake district and we go at least once a year.

VeronicaJan 22, 2016

I think that is a very good idea and ty very much for the encouragement. But my husband is facing yet more eye surgery within the next four weeks and I am faced with being a carer, a grandmother and running my own small business. Sometimes I don't know how I stay awake!

When the dust starts to settle I shall take you up on it though as I love old place names.

frankbeswickJan 22, 2016

Many readers will be struck with the place names that you mention in the Cumbria region. Why not do an article on them? Link them to pictures, if possible.

frankbeswickJan 22, 2016

My father, younger brother and I once went a long walk on the fells [hills] west of Bassenthwaite. 1972, and I still remember it, it was so enjoyable.

VeronicaJan 22, 2016

Thank you. It is a lovely place and the fields are large and the animals do not look closed in.

MiraJan 22, 2016

I imagine this park is quite a hit with kids. Seeing the animals in a freer environment is wonderful, and they have animals from all corners of the world! Some of them, like the tapir and the capybara, I'm seeing in nature for the first time. Somehow zoos don't have enough variety, even the larger ones.

VeronicaNov 5, 2015

Our two year old loved it. This is our second visit. He sat in a jeep by the zebra enclosure, handled some of the animals ran and ran. He loved the bird display.

It's a little wildlife park but a little gem. The postcode is CA12 4RD .

whitemossNov 5, 2015

I didn't know this park existed! Why are locals so ignorant? Thanks for the info- it's on the list for grandson's next trip here.

VeronicaOct 29, 2015

It is still not good access but it is possible to walk round parts of it.

frankbeswickOct 29, 2015

There is better access to Bassenthwaite now than there was years ago, for when you first visited the Lakes it was of limited access, as it was owned by a private yachting club. Since then the club has been bought out by the National Park Authority, so access is now much easier..

VeronicaOct 29, 2015

Ty I am just uploading more photos of my break in Cumbria for another landmark

frankbeswickOct 29, 2015

Your photo-journalism is of good quality.

VeronicaOct 29, 2015

The animals aren't indigenous at all. It is a lovely generic wildlife park and not specific to North West Cumbria which is the far north of England. It is a lovely spot and the animals have acres of parkland and moorland.

VeronicaOct 29, 2015

I used to visit Bassenthwaite with my parents. It is very quiet and calm and my favourite spot. I took my sons as children and now visit with my sons and grandson. HE is the fourth generation of our family to stay at Bassenthwaite.

blackspanielgalleryOct 29, 2015

I believe some of the animals may not be indigenous to the area. The kookaburra for xample is one of Australia's birds, and they almost have made it a national symbol.

frankbeswickOct 29, 2015

What this show is that borders are not set in stone, but are very flexible; and with borders go identities. They should not be set in stone either,

Anyway, Bassenthwaite is a lovely lake, but one that I have not given much attention.

VeronicaOct 28, 2015

Yes Rheged is an interesting fact. I am going to look into it a little more.

Your comment shows that we were all borderless at one time.

frankbeswickOct 28, 2015

There has been an increase in interest in Rheged in recent years. Its boundaries crossed the Scottish-English border, reminding us that there was a time when Eng;and and Scotland did not exist as political entities.

Displays and handling

Comments

DerdriuMarrinerMay 6, 2024

Your comment below on Nov. 17, 2019, in answer to Mira's previous observation and question intrigues me.

What kind of snakes did the animal handling sessions involve?

MiraNov 18, 2019

Those are great points :) But the snake, hm . . . :D

VeronicaNov 17, 2019

MiraNov 17, 2019

VeronicaJul 30, 2017

thanks Big bro

VeronicaJul 30, 2017

DERDRIU

Aw ty . It was sooo new born that it was very still and sleepy. Easy to photograph apart from the angle.

frankbeswickJul 22, 2017

Dear All, Veronica is away for the week celebrating her birthday at a holiday cottage in Yorkshire.She asked me to tell you that she will reply to any comments when she returns.

DerdriuMarrinerJul 22, 2017

frankbeswickOct 31, 2016

The bird in the picture seems to be a heron.

frankbeswickOct 31, 2016

VeronicaOct 31, 2016

I made a return visit to the Wildlife Park this week . I felt these magnificent horns above were worth recording !

VeronicaJul 19, 2016

thanks for that !

frankbeswickJul 19, 2016

Strange, isn't it? I have known you since 1957 and only in the last year or so have I learned that you have a talent for photography.

VeronicaJul 15, 2016

candy47Jul 15, 2016

Thank you Veronica for such a lovely stroll through the park. Your photos are stunning!

VeronicaJan 23, 2016

Thank you .

Have a good weekend.

frankbeswickJan 22, 2016

VeronicaJan 22, 2016

It is my favourite part of the lake district and we go at least once a year.

VeronicaJan 22, 2016

frankbeswickJan 22, 2016

Many readers will be struck with the place names that you mention in the Cumbria region. Why not do an article on them? Link them to pictures, if possible.

frankbeswickJan 22, 2016

My father, younger brother and I once went a long walk on the fells [hills] west of Bassenthwaite. 1972, and I still remember it, it was so enjoyable.

VeronicaJan 22, 2016

Thank you. It is a lovely place and the fields are large and the animals do not look closed in.

MiraJan 22, 2016

VeronicaNov 5, 2015

whitemossNov 5, 2015

I didn't know this park existed! Why are locals so ignorant? Thanks for the info- it's on the list for grandson's next trip here.

VeronicaOct 29, 2015

It is still not good access but it is possible to walk round parts of it.

frankbeswickOct 29, 2015

VeronicaOct 29, 2015

Ty I am just uploading more photos of my break in Cumbria for another landmark

frankbeswickOct 29, 2015

Your photo-journalism is of good quality.

VeronicaOct 29, 2015

blackspanielgalleryOct 29, 2015

I believe some of the animals may not be indigenous to the area. The kookaburra for xample is one of Australia's birds, and they almost have made it a national symbol.

frankbeswickOct 29, 2015

VeronicaOct 28, 2015

Yes Rheged is an interesting fact. I am going to look into it a little more.

Your comment shows that we were all borderless at one time.

frankbeswickOct 28, 2015