East Chevington Nature Reserve

A walk around East Chevington has become one of my favourites in recent years and I probably visit monthly, checking out the latest bird sightings and getting my steps in. This is such a peaceful reserve and I often see just a couple of people on the walk. It is managed by Northumberland Wildlife Trust and has had a face-lift in recent years, making it all the better to visit.

There is an easy, mostly flat circular route around the pond which tends to be my go-to route, and there are six hides and viewing spots on the way round. If you follow this route you'll also come across The Drift Stone which marks the location of the former East Chevington Drift Mine which operated from 1882 to 1962.

The route is around 5km and takes you past ponds, through woodland and along reedbeds so it's a lovely varied walk, taking a couple of hours to complete (unless like me you're checking out every bird!). It is definitely my happy place, and one of my favourite spots on the reserve is the view from Hartside Hide overlooking the pond and Northumbrian countryside. Perfect.

On our last visit in October 2026, we saw over 50 species of bird in a couple of hours and there is always something to see here. Recent highlights we have spotted on the reserve include: Bittern, Great White Egret, Marsh Harrier, Common Crane, Greenshank, Whooper Swan and many more, but sightings change depending on the season too.

In the spring, warblers visit and the reserve becomes home to Sedge Warbler, Reed Warbler, Grasshopper Warbler (which yes, sounds like a Grasshopper!), Blackcap, Chiffchaff and Whitethroat. In the winter it's time for the ducks to arrive, and there are hundreds of Wigeon, Goldeneye and Teal on the pond, while you'll likely hear thousands of Pink Footed Geese flying overhead. Many birds are here all year round including Stonechat, Cormorant, Heron and the elusive Cetti's Warbler which I have never caught on camera yet.

The reserve gets the odd rarity too and in the last year it has seen Long Tailed Ducks, Little Gull, Slovenian Grebe and Red Necked Grebe. All very exciting!

East Chevington is also home to a number of animals including goats, horses, sheep and the beautiful highland cows that graze in the fields. Though my fear of cows is very real, I find the highland cows a bit more bearable and it does help that all of the animals are behind a fence.

There are also other mammals on site too, including roe deer, hares and we've been lucky to see stoats dashing across the paths looking to take down a rabbit or two. There are otters on the reserve too, but again they have proven to be elusive - let us know if you have seen any!

In spring and summer there is so much going on and as well as the spring migrants you might get to see some juvenile birds. We've seen young Chiffchaff, Swallow, Stonechat, and even Marsh Harrier learning to hunt with their parents. In winter there can be huge flocks of birds flying around, but it is also an amazing place to see starling murmurations - these are not to be missed, particularly if you catch a beautiful sunset at the end of the day.

There is amazingly no charge to visit this reserve, though parking charges do apply. There are facilities at Druridge Bay Country Park so you can grab a drink and visit the loos after your walk. I highly recommend a visit to this beautiful place - a real hidden gem and a peaceful place to switch off and enjoy nature for a few hours.