Sleep beside owls at the Cumberland Bird of Prey Centre, a short distance from the Lake District.
Visitors to Cumbria can now enjoy a distinctive overnight experience, as the Cumberland Bird of Prey Centre has unveiled accommodation within its sanctuary grounds. The initiative is designed to give guests an unforgettable countryside retreat.
Owner and falconer Gary Swainson, who has been working with birds on the site since 1993 and has more than three decades of expertise, introduced the new feature after the Covid crisis altered visitor patterns.
The centre has shown resilience before. In 2001, during the foot and mouth epidemic, it transformed from a zoo into a bird flying experience to adapt to circumstances.
Set just beyond Carlisle, the attraction now features private hot tubs, a secluded sauna and ice bath in the Lost Disco, and outdoor fire pits. The new accommodation has already drawn travellers from across the globe, including Australia, South America and Asia.
Visitors encounter a rich collection of exotic birds, from a Turkey Vulture and Bateleur Eagle to a Chilean Blue Eagle and several owl species. A Snowy Owl has become a highlight for overnight guests due to her closeness to the accommodation area.
Stays include not only lodging but also the chance to take part in an interactive bird flying session, offering one of the most original short breaks in the UK.
The site’s isolated rural environment also supports wild native owls, adding another layer to the natural surroundings.
Speaking about the launch, Gary Swainson said:
“Like a lot of rural businesses, we got the chance to think about how we could diversify things and given how much visitors loved the natural beauty of the site, we started to think about ways we could get people staying over. Our accommodation units are hand made by us and built using shipping containers which we converted into lodges.
Creating a destination experience where visitors get to stay on an actual bird of prey centre felt like the obvious idea. We just love meeting so many visitors to the area as well as giving them a truly Cumbrian welcome.”
The centre now accommodates up to eight people in its converted shipping container lodges, which are available for booking online.
