Running across Saturday 18th and Sunday 19^th April, Yorkshire Wildlife Trust’s Ground Nest Fest includes a variety of events around Settle, Bowland and Wharfedale to celebrate some of Yorkshire’s most iconic birds and the habitats that they need to survive. 

This year marks a bigger and wilder events programme with something for everyone to enjoy, led by the Trust’s inspiring and knowledgeable teams from the Wild Ingleborough and Yorkshire Peat Partnership programmes

• Drop-in crafts: Crafts for all ages including mask-making, badge-making and poster designing, Settle 18/04
• Drop-in stalls: Browse information stalls to discover more about the ground nesting birds that live in our uplands, and the habitats they rely on, Settle 18/04
• Ground nest fest talks: Join for an afternoon of talks on our ground-nesting birds and their upland habitats, Settle 18/04
• Ground nesters on parade: Gather with Cathy the Curlew and friends to celebrate our ground nesters in a short parade around town, Settle 18/04
• Guided farm walks: Join Yorkshire Wildlife Trust and Forest of Bowland for a guided farm walk at Lawkland Hall Farm, 19/04
• Bird song in concert: An evening of traditional and original music inspired by birds, nature and the landscapes of the North, Settle 19/04

A full programme of events and activities can be found on online, booking for some events is essential and some events may include a charge.

Visitors and local people, young and old, are welcome to take part in our ground-nesting bird mask workshop, and then to join our parade around Settle later that afternoon. Wear your masks with pride and make some noise for nature accompanied by a flock of beautiful bird puppets made by local community groups. 

Lawkland Hall Farm, just outside Settle, have made their commercial dairy farm a haven for all kinds of wading birds. They will open their doors for visitors to find out more.  Come along on the morning of Sunday 19th April to meet the farmers and YWT and RSPB advisors who support their conservation work.

In a one-off ensemble appearance, four of the region’s finest musical talents present an evening of traditional and original music inspired by birds, nature and the landscapes of the North – curated especially for Ground Nest Fest. The Victoria Hall is a beautiful, historic Music Hall, in the centre of the bustling market town of Settle on the edge of the Yorkshire Dales. The venue is fully accessible, and refreshments will be available at the licensed bar. The event will be seated.

Ellie Parker, Community Engagement Officer at Wild Ingleborough, said:

“The Yorkshire Dales are a stronghold for many iconic ground-nesting birds, whose unique characters and distinctive calls are woven into the fabric of our landscape. We know Yorkshire folk are proud of the home we’ve made for our ground-nesting birds and want to help us protect them – but with the increasing threat and pressure of habitat loss, predation and changing land use, there’s a danger we could see their numbers plummet further; we need to celebrate and inspire more care for them, before they’re lost from our landscape altogether.”

Lucy Lee, Wilder Communities Engagement Officer at Yorkshire Peat Partnership said:

“Ground Nest Fest is the place to come for inspiration on how you can make a difference, to learn more about our amazing ground-nesting birds, and to get involved in some seriously wild events!”

There are opportunities outside the core festival dates to get out into the landscape and learn more about how local organisations across the Dales are working together to create more space for ground-nesting birds

• Join the Woodland Trust at Snaizeholme on Tuesday 14^th April to discover how their restoration plans across the valley have been designed to create space for ground nesting and wading birds
• Come along to our free guided walk on Tuesday 28^th April as part of the Settle-Carlisle Railway’s annual Ride2Stride Festival, where we will be learning about the birds of Ingleborough.