Castle Caldwell Nature Reserve
Grid Reference: H 020600
Most of Castle Caldwell is conifer and beech plantation managed by the Forest Service. Along the shore of the three bays there is more natural native woodland of mainly willow, alder and oak. This is managed by us as a nature reserve.
It supports a large number of songbirds such as thrushes and warblers. Good views of ducks, grebes and other water birds, such as coots, can be seen around the edges of Castle, Birch and Kellums Bays. Herons stalk for prey in the shallows, while evening visitors may catch a glimpse of a long-eared owl hunting along the forest edge. Reeds and sedges on the water's edge are important feeding and nesting areas.
Shrubs like Guelder rose and purging buckthorn, growing close to the water, also provide cover for birds and insects. There is a 900m path leading through the wood to the edge of the reeds in Castle Bay.
The journey through the woodland bypasses the old 17th Century castle which lies in ruins. Birds nest in its ivy-clad walls. Nearing the bays, old oak trees form a ghost line along what was once the lough shore. The lough was lowered in the 1950's exposing new land. This foreshore has been colonised by natural scrub of alder and willow.
