The 2023 Wild Goose Festival concluded on the 29th of October, but don’t worry! Events celebrating the migration of our feathery friends will return in Autumn 2024. For updates on all things Wild Goose, make sure you are following our social media channels.
URGENT UPDATE: Fairground Walkabout POSTPONED until Friday 29th 5:15pm The Fairground Walkabout has been postponed from Thursday (28th) but WILL GO AHEAD Friday 29th same time, 5:15-6:30pm. The walk will start as advertised at the East Side of the Suspension Bridge (the Whitesands/Fairground side). On behalf of Fair Scotland and all of the Showpeople involved in organising this […]
Sami Blood | 2016 | Amanda Kernell | Swedish | 12 A | 1 hr 48 mins Join us for the next in our edition of Reel to Real Cinema, a pop-up cinema space hosted at the Stove Cafe where we will be sharing Sami Blood, a historical drama following a Sámi girl in 1930’s […]
Closed (Sundays & Mondays) An exhibition by Artful Migration artists-in-residence, Leeming & Paterson. Over the past 8 months Ted Leeming & Morag Paterson have spent time at Lochar Mosses exploring the elusive Nightjar, one of Scotland’s rarest and most unusual birds, which appears to be thriving in the region. The nightjar has secretive behaviour and […]
Part of the #WildGooseFestival2023. Meet Bart (the Barnacle Goose) and read his story along this self-led, short activity trail about how his family try to survive life as wild geese. Collect an activity booklet and pencil at our visitor centre and then head to places along the marked trail. Warning, some activities will require grown-up […]
Feast your eyes on badgers, as they snuffle around for a snack in our garden. So, they’re not goosey but are just as black, white and grey as our barnacle geese! These creatures are living on the reserve and often leave tracks and signs along our trails but close views can be a challenge. Watch […]
The Artful Migration conference will share learning from three artist residencies located in Dumfries & Galloway, developed by Upland and Moving Souls Dance. Bringing artists and conservationists together, keynote speakers Sacha Dench and Chris Fremantle will explore artistic practice linked to migratory pathways of birds challenged by climate change. The Artful Migration programme created three […]
Join us at the Wild Goose Festival Hub this October and take part in our fun and creative events, workshops and activities. Learn all about our feathery friends, the Wild Geese, and find out why they visit us here in Dumfries & Galloway every year. At our hub , you can meet some of the […]
Take a gander with a wander up Wardlaw to celebrate the return of the geese for Wild Goose Festival, WWT Caerlaverock wardens are joining NatureScot reserve staff to lead a walk up Wardlaw Hill to see the dusk flight of the pink footed geese and barnacle geese as they head out to roost on the […]
All day we are running activities inspired by the most famous migrant in children’s literature – Paddington Bear. All activities are drop-in and included with a house ticket to Moat Brae. Film and TV series screenings will be running all day and we will have crafts, drama, storytelling and more.
Interested in a new pair of binoculars, or a telescope? Optics greatly enhance your experience of watching geese, helping you see the stunning plumage of these beautiful birds and watch their fascinating behaviour. Experts from Swarovski and Viking are visiting WWT Caerlaverock to demonstrate and sell a range of optics. Take this opportunity to try […]
Peter Scott was a remarkable man who led an extraordinary life. Writer, artist, broadcaster, conservationist, sportsman; in any one of his chosen fields he would have been remembered as someone who made a difference. That he excelled in all of these is perhaps the main reason why his life remains an inspiration to others more […]
In Dumfries and Galloway we have a small wintering population of light bellied brent geese. These fascinating birds migrate 5,000km from Canada each year to spend the winter on our coastline. Most of the population winter in Ireland, but we have a small population on the coasts of West Galloway where they feed on eel […]
Build your confidence in wetland bird identification at our reserve and learn how to get involved in recording the birds you see. Join a friendly warden who will help show where and what species to look out for when birding, as well as sharing more information about wetland habitats and wildlife. This is a great […]
Some of the greatest spectacles of nature take place at dusk. Join our guide to enjoy Svalbard barnacle geese descending on the sandflat and reserve to roost. This will involve […]
Take this unique opportunity to watch thousands of barnacle geese flighting in to the reserve against the dawn sky. We will walk out to the merse at dawn to watch […]
Interested in a new pair of binoculars, or a telescope? Optics greatly enhance your experience of watching geese, helping you see the stunning plumage of these beautiful birds and watch […]
Postponed from October 16th | Closed Sunday’s As part of this year’s Wild Goose Festival, the Stove’s Conversing Building project has been engaging with Fife College learners based at HMP […]
Come and make a willow bird feeder with experienced weaver Fiona Moir. You will learn how to work with willow to make a feeder that takes fat balls. Hang it […]
Judith Hewitt managed the Museum of Witchcraft and Magic in Cornwall for five years and she will draw on her work at this museum for this talk. This included a […]
Join us for a walk with a knowledgeable warden to learn how we manage the reserve for the thousands of barnacle geese and pink footed geese that migrate here in […]
Feast your eyes on badgers, as they snuffle around for a snack in our garden. So, they’re not goosey but are just as black, white and grey as our barnacle […]
Join our RSPB Warden at Ken Dee Marshes by the car park to look for and hear about the geese and other wildlife that winter around Loch Ken and surrounding […]
Cycling Dumfries are delighted to join WWT, Nith Life and NatureScot, to host this guided wildlife ride to WWT Caerlaverock, taking in Caerlaverock National Nature Reserve and the river Nith […]
Geese like stars, they help them to migrate. Nigh-ttime is a great time for stories, star stories in particular. Elizabeth Tindal, Biosphere Dark Sky Ranger, will be there to tell […]
We’ll be hosting 2 sessions throughout the day: 10am-12noon & 2pm-4pm. Taking inspiration from nature, these drop in sessions are for all ages and abilities. We will select some natural […]
Discover some of the amazing wildlife looked after on this farm. As the season changes, so too do the habitats and special creatures found here – with lush greens turning […]
Join Adam Murphy of Nith Life and award-winning nature writer Stephen Rutt for a guided sunset walk, looking with readings along the River Nith. Discover Dumfries’s urban wildlife, learn more […]
In the main hall of Dumfries Museum, the award-winning nature writer Stephen Rutt will deliver a talk about the birds of the River Nith. Using the museum’s recently refreshed taxidermy […]
Sami storyteller Stina Fagertun and Sami musician Øistein Hanssen travel to Dumfries for a cosy and unique evening of stories, music and songs from the far north. About Øistein Hanssen Øistein Hanssen has roots from […]
The dark days of the witch trials left a powerful mark on the town of Dumfries… At the height of the persecutions, at least 78 people were accused of witchcraft, […]