Woodland ranger (full day)

Woodland ranger EXPERIENCE FOR TWO (Full Day)

Become a wildlife ranger for the day and explore the woods and riverbanks of the Scottish Borders

An active day getting involved in a community woodland, with a two and a half mile guided riverside walk to learn about the wildlife and plant life on the Tweed river system.

The day involves conservation activities, helping to top up bird feeders, bird watching, helping to record the nature you observe and craft activities.

There’s a cafe stop for refreshments, a visit to a salmon viewing centre and a stop at the golden eagle information centre to learn about the reintroduction of these magnificent birds.

Our starting point for the day is Mauldsheugh Wood, our own community wildlife project, where we have been improving the habitat to make it home to a wider range of wildlife.

Make the most of your time in nature with a hands-on session as a woodland ranger. You’ll learn all about the tress and plants and the creatures that inhabit our community woodland.

We start with a guided nature walk around the wood, stopping to top up the bird feeders and to see what is around. We’ll take a look at the pond and you’ll help to record what you see on the day. There’s also a chance to do a spot of conservation work to improve the habitat in the wood.

From Mauldsheugh we’ll head over the river to stroll along the banks of the Ettrick Water, keeping an eye out for herons, dippers, salmon and maybe even a glimpse of osprey in season. Otters live along the river, though sightings are not guaranteed.

At the Golden Eagle information centre we learn about the release programme for these magnificent birds which are increasing in numbers in the Scottish Borders.

At the salmon viewing centre we learn about the life cycle of the Atlantic salmon and how they return up the Tweed river system to spawn. Depending on the time of year, we’ll also look for salmon moving up the fish ladder to the next level of the river. In October there’s the chance to see fish leaping up the cauld.

The day includes a stop at the Waterwheel Cafe where you can purchase an optional lunch.

We’ll take a look at the point where the Ettrick Water and Yarrow Water join before flowing on to merge with the Tweed, then return along an old mill lade, the stream that once fed the watermill, hoping to catch a glimpse of the kingfishers that live there.

Back at Mauldsheugh Wood your ranger will lead you on a conservation activity of your choice, which could involve checking birds boxes, building new habitat areas or helping create a new woodland hub area for local children and community groups.

Your session will involve documenting the species observed on the day. You will receive a nature journal to take away with you and a lesson in how to record your observations.

For anyone keen to take home a souvenir of their visit, we have lovely Woodland Ranger T-shirts and hoodies to order online.

All profits go back into supporting our schools and community nature education programme.

Tickets cost £197 for two people for the full day experience. Recommended age of 8+. Additional people can be added for £97 per person. We can guarantee private sessions when group bookings of 5-6 people are made.

We run our nature walks to give more people a chance to enjoy the wildlife in the South of Scotland and to help cover the cost of our community nature and wildlife projects. All profits go back into the community interest company to enable us to continue to operate Mauldsheugh Wood, along with nature clubs, school visits and collaborations with other community groups.