Manx Wildlife Trust’s two Visitor Centres at the Ayres National Nature Reserve and Scarlett near Castletown are re-opening on 13th May and 18th May respectively. Both are staffed by dedicated volunteers who will help visitors enjoy and understand the wildlife of the two very different areas.
The Ayres Visitor Centre is surrounded by the dunes and flower rich rare lichen heath of the Ayres National Nature Reserve and Area of Special Scientific Interest. Visitors can use a viewing platform to look out to sea to spot diving Gannets, seals and other marine wildlife. Little Terns will soon return to the beach to nest and breed on our shores, during their estimated 50,000 mile round journey.
Easy walking paths allow visitors to hear the summer songs of breeding lapwings, linnet and skylarks and get close to a mass of colourful wildflowers including orchids.
The Ayres Visitor Centre offers information on wildlife sightings, a small selection of gifts with snacks and drinks plus an informative video about the area and a fascinating collection of local rocks and biological finds.
In contrast, Scarlett Visitor Centre and Nature Trail is in an area famed for its varied geology, with volcanic basalt and carboniferous limestone revealing its ancient origins. The Nature Trail and its informative leaflet enables visitors to learn more about the geology and the variety of wildflowers growing there. Seabirds will be seen in Castletown Bay and resident stonechats and meadow pipits are joined by migrant wheatears, swallows and martins in summer.
Scarlett Visitor Centre has a film about the area and displays on its quarrying history well as its natural history. Families can borrow nets for rock pooling and there’s a collection of fossil bearing rocks. Refreshments and a small selection of gifts are on sale.
Manx Wildlife Trust CEO, Dr Tim Graham, said: “We always look forward to re-opening our Visitor Centres for the summer as they add so much to a day out in our wonderful countryside. We hope that lots of people will re-discover these hidden gems and their wildlife and make the most of getting out and about”.
Photo - Scarlett Visitors Centre. Courtesy of Kath Smith.
