Wild Goose Chase

The "Wild Goose Chase" weekend was an idea that had been mooted for some time - and then suddenly it happened! As you can imagine, it wasn't quite like that but on Friday 16th November around 40 Island Holidays Plus people arrived at the Cumbria Park Hotel in Carlisle. Everyone was met by Libby and four of her tour leaders - Pete Clement, Malcolm Stott, Ken Shaw and Andy Mitchell. After a cup of tea everyone gathered together for a couple of short presentations. Malcolm's delights of Iceland were followed by a quick tour of Cuba with Andy, leaving enough time for a pre-dinner drink before moving through to the dining-room.

It is a testament to the character of Island Holidays Plus folk that the atmosphere was already warm and lively, even after so short a time. The predominant sound at dinner was loud laughter!

Saturday morning brought a hearty breakfast before setting off by coach for the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust's reserve at Caerlaverock, about an hour away. The weather was kind, although a little windy and a few hours were spent admiring the spectacle of waterbirds, especially the close-up views at the main hide when the food was put out. After lunch there was time for another wander in this lovely spot and just before departure, a really special moment - a young badger feasting on fallen apples not ten yards from the path - superb! On the way back the coach stopped not far from the Gretna service station for one of nature's great spectacles, a starling roost.

There were at least half a million birds wheeling across the sky and, more unusually, coming to land in a field: a truly astonishing sight. Back at the hotel there was time to change before another pair of presentations on two of the newer destinations. Ken Shaw showcased Latvia and then Pete took us further afield to Taiwan.

There were some stunning images - and just time to squeeze in a look at a whale-watching DVD before the dining room beckoned again.

After Sunday breakfast it was time for another trip out, this time to RSPB's Campfield Marsh reserve. The warden, Norman Holton, gave a short introduction to the "why" and "how" of the reserve before a walk along the track to the hide. Returning to the coaches, we continued down the Solway coast, stopping occasionally to look at the birds on the estuary before returning to the hotel for soup and sandwiches followed by fond farewells.

Everyone seemed to thoroughly enjoy the weekend and there was talk of another similar, possibly in Norfolk or Cambridgeshire. Watch this space if you missed out this time!

News homepage