Work completed on new bird viewing platform at Northumberland beauty spot

It has certainly been a long time coming but works to improve the interpretation of Budle Bay have finally been finished.
The viewing platform and interpretation panels at Budle Bay, near Bamburgh.The viewing platform and interpretation panels at Budle Bay, near Bamburgh.
The viewing platform and interpretation panels at Budle Bay, near Bamburgh.

Delays in sourcing materials, a redesign and even a car collision meant the project to build a new platform to interpret the remarkable natural heritage of Budle Bay has taken almost two years to complete.

The two new eye-catching steel totems focus on the migration to and refuge and sanctuary of Budle Bay for thousands of birds annually.

The view across Budle Bay.The view across Budle Bay.
The view across Budle Bay.
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Sitting on the edge of the Lindisfarne National Nature Reserve (NNR) and within the Northumberland Coast Area of Outstanding Beauty the bay is a wildlife haven that appeals to many visitors from dedicated bird-watchers to people just stopping to eat their sandwiches.

The totems and interpretation, funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund through the Peregrini Lindisfarne Landscape Partnership scheme, even provides seats to watch the birds from or to rest those weary legs.

Iain Robson, access and natural environment officer at the Northumberland Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty Partnership, said: “The new platform and interpretation is an attractive and welcome addition to Budle Bay and it is great to see how simply buying a National Lottery ticket can help revitalise this remarkable landscape.”

Lindisfarne NNR lead shorebird warden Katherine Dunsford said viewers can expect to see Little Terns, Arctic Terns, Ringed Plover and Oystercatcher.

One of the interpretation panelsOne of the interpretation panels
One of the interpretation panels
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Following some TLC, willow sculptures featuring local wildlife are back around the self-guided nature trail. Leaflets detailing the route can be found in the Window on Wild Lindisfarne, which is the starting point, and in the Lough Hide.