Castle Espie Wetland Centre in County Down

Calling all animal lovers! Do you want to get up close with some of the world’s more exotic bird species? Why not come along to WWT Castle Espie and enjoy a visit full of adventure and discovery around the 60-acre grounds? Spread your wings and get ready for a day of learning and exploration!

Start off a visit at WWT Castle Epsie with unrivalled views of Strangford Lough from the Kingfisher Kitchen, where visitors can find delicious home-cooked lunches and other treats! Then take a turn around the Sustainability Trail! The trail is perfect for helping younger visitors understand more about the important issues of our time with a wetland treatment system and compost toilet.

A world of wildlife is waiting for all visitors at Castle Espie Wetland Centre! With a variety of different habitats on offer, there is always a star species on a show for all! The recent restoration of Castle Espie Wetland Centre was one of the most significant habitat improvements of its kind in Ireland and extended to saline lagoons, limestone grassland, salt marshes, reed beds and grassland for herbivorous wildfowl! The addition of these new biomes has brought the likes of kingfishers, otters, bats, dragonflies and other species to the reserve!

With wide-open spaces and wetlands full of sights and sounds of nature, there is plenty to do and even more animal species to see at Castle Espie!

• Adult admission from £8.54
• Concession admission from £7.27
• Child (4-16) admission from £4.72
• Family (2 adults, 2 kids) admission from £22.59
• The visitor Centre is open every day from 10  am to 5 pm
• Reserve is open every day from 10 am to 4.30 pm
• Kingfisher Cafe is open every day from 10.30 am to 2.30 pm