Holidays
3 Night Guided Birdwatching in Western Yorkshire Dales

3 Night Guided Birdwatching in Western Yorkshire Dales

3 nights

Oct, Nov

3 nights from

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Members

From

£489 £539

Non-members

From

£519 £569

Groups of 10+

or call

020 3974 8865

Join a group of fellow nature enthusiasts and seek out some of the North West England’s best birdwatching spots with an experienced ornithologist. Autumn sees thousands of birds flock to these shores and we’ll visit some of the area’s most popular birding sites, including RSPB Leighton Moss and Morecambe Bay. By day, you’ll discover natural beauty spots where birdlife thrives and by night, you’ll enjoy expert help identifying what you’ve spotted.

What You’ll Love

Daily guided visits to the best birding sites in the area
Guidance from an expert ornithologist leader
Visiting RSPB Leighton Moss and Morecambe Bay
Chances to spot Marsh Harriers, Bittern, Bearded Tit, Hawfinch and more
Relaxing at our country house in the Western Yorkshire Dales

What's Included

Comfortable en-suite accommodation in our country house
Local ornithologist leader
All transport throughout the itinerary
Cream tea on arrival day
Cooked or continental breakfast every morning
Daily packed lunches
Three-course evening meals, plus tea & coffee
Easy-to-follow routes, maps, and information available in our Discovery Point if you want to explore independently.

Trip Suitability

Though these holidays don’t cover great distances on foot, they are still active. You'll be hopping on and off the coach and should expect to spend the majority of the day on your feet. Walking to the birdwatching sites may take you across country tracks or footpaths and, at times, off the beaten track so be sure to bring sturdy shoes.

Though these holidays don’t cover great distances on foot, they are still active. You'll be hopping on and off the coach and should expect to spend the majority of the day on your feet. Walking to the bird watching sites may take you across country tracks or footpaths and, at times, off the beaten track so be sure to bring sturdy shoes.

Itinerary

All our carefully-curated itineraries are designed by our experts. While we make every effort to adhere to the described itinerary, we may take alternative routes or adapt the running order for weather and/or operational reasons.

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Check-in at the hotel is available from 16:00. If you are a member you can arrive at the house from 14:00 in 2026. Enjoy a complimentary cream tea at 16:30 and meet other guests.

After dinner this evening, your ornithologist leader will introduce themselves and the itinerary. They’ll also give an introductory talk on the local area’s birdlife and what you’re likely to see during your holiday. 

RSPB Leighton Moss

Though these holidays don’t cover great distances on foot, they are still active. You'll be hopping on and off the coach and should expect to spend the majority of the day on your feet. Walking to the birdwatching sites may take you across country tracks or footpaths and, at times, off the beaten track so be sure to bring sturdy shoes. 

We make a fantastic start to the holiday with a visit to this popular little RSPB reserve in Silverdale, a charming village that sits on the Lancashire-Cumbria border. In the care of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds since 1964, Leighton Moss is home to a huge volume and variety of wildfowl and waders.  It also has breeding Marsh Harriers, Bitterns, and Bearded Tits.  

We’ll spend some time at the outer hides on the edge of Morecambe Bay, before visiting the main reserve and the nearby Kent estuary. If we’re lucky, the starlings may treat us to one of their spectacular aerial displays. Please note that the number of starlings and the best locations for murmurations can vary daily, monthly, and yearly. If they’re present, we’ll do our utmost to ensure you experience this incredible natural spectacle. 

Please note entrance fees to Leighton Moss RSPB reserve have not been included in the price of the holiday. We know many of you are RSPB members and will be able to access the reserve free – please remember to bring your membership card. Any non-members, please allow approx. £10 per person for entrance fee. 

Sizergh Castle  

We’ll begin our second day at Sizergh Castle. The sizeable grounds of this16th-century stately home in Kendal are one of the best sites in the area to look for the elusive Hawfinch. After exploring the grounds we'll head to Helsington Barrows to see if we hear or even possibly see, Crossbill, and then to Roudsea Wood, with its ancient yews, to see what other wildlife we can spot.

Please note entrance fees to Sizergh Castle gardens have not been included in the price of the holiday. We know many of you are National Trust members and will be able to access for free – please remember to bring your membership card. Any non-members, please allow approx. £5 per person for entrance fee. 

Enjoy a leisurely breakfast before making your way home.

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Accommodation

Thorns Hall

Delivering on all fronts for countryside lovers, this cosy Grade II-listed manor house is just a skip away from Sedbergh – the Cumbrian market town treasured for its cobbled streets, public school, artisan shops, and bookshops (it’s known as England’s official book town for good reason). You’ll also have the Yorkshire Dales National Park on your doorstep as well as the Howgill Fells - the small group of hills adored by legendary fellwalker, illustrator, and guidebook author Alfred Wainwright. The walking opportunities here are outstanding, but if you fancy travelling further afield there’s Kendal (home of the mint cake), Hawes, Wensleydale, Appleby-in-Westmorland, and Lake Windemere all within easy driving distance.

A warm welcome
We want you to feel comfortable from the moment you arrive. You’ll find a welcome pack in your room with guest registration forms, menus, order forms for dinners and picnic lunches, the Wi-Fi password, and the front door code. Our houses are locked at night, so we recommend noting the Duty Manager’s number on arrival in case of an emergency (or getting locked out).

Evening entertainment

While evening entertainment varies from house to house, HF Holidays Inter-House Quiz night held after dinner on Wednesdays is a weekly staple. Your HF Holidays leader may be around for tips on guided and self-guided waking routes as well as visit-worthy local attractions.

Walks talks
Our HF Holidays walk leaders host guided walking information briefings before dinner on guided walking holiday arrival days. This is followed by a group Walks Talk for information on the following day’s guided walks (held before dinner every evening). Self-guided walking guests are, of course, welcome.

The walking day
Prior to setting off on guided walks, your HF Holidays Leader will run you through a short safety briefing. There’s also an up-to-date weather forecast on display at the house to ensure you have appropriate clothing and footwear. If you choose to do your own walks or are on a self-guided walking holiday, we ask that you please complete an Independent Walker Card each day. These can be found near the Discovery Point in the house.

Check in & check out

You are welcome to check in from 4pm at the earliest. HF Members can check in earlier, from 2pm. On arrival, you’ll enjoy a complimentary cream tea and get to meet your fellow guests, our HF Holidays Leaders, and the rest of the friendly team. Check out 10am.

• 25 well-appointed guest rooms • Exclusive occupancy: 30 guests minimum • Check in from 4:00pm • For members check in from 2:00pm • Free Wi-Fi • Free on-site parking • Boot room and drying room • Travel cot & high chair • Discovery Point offering a wide range of local area maps, route guides, and information for self-guided walks • Books and games to borrow • Licensed bar • Lounges • Garden • Electric vehicle charging point - Please note, you will need to bring your own cables to use this EV charging point

Seasonal dining, tailored for you

Our team of skilled chefs design our dinner menus to showcase the best of each season, from warming winter comfort food to vibrant summer dishes, including vegetarian, vegan and high-protein options. We also source fruit and vegetables within a 40-mile radius of each house, open every break with a Chef’s Special menu inspired by dishes and flavours of the local area, and are able to adapt dishes to suit special dietary requirements.

Welcome Cream Tea

What better way to start your stay than with a cream tea, served fresh on arrival to make you feel instantly at home. A quintessentially English tradition, our scones are baked in-house and served with preserves and clotted cream, providing the perfect opportunity to meet fellow walkers.

A hearty breakfast to start the day

Start the day with a freshly-prepared cooked breakfast and a wide choice from our continental buffet, including hot drinks, juices and fresh fruit. Our team offer a quick and friendly service, leaving you fuelled and ready for your day’s adventures.

Our famous picnic lunch

Our personalised picnic lunches are perfect for a day out walking, ready to enjoy when hunger strikes. Choose from a large selection of fresh sandwiches and salads, freshly baked cakes and snacks, including the ever-popular Freddos chocolate bar! Everything is designed to fit neatly into your rucksack, and all of the packaging we provide is recyclable or compostable.

3-course evening meals

Our à la carte evening menus feature a wide choice of starters, mains, and desserts, made with seasonal ingredients and, wherever possible, herbs and vegetables from our own gardens. Shared around sociable tables, dinners are relaxed occasions, with drinks available to order at the table or from the bar, and a traditional Sunday roast to round off the week.

Designed with your comfort in mind, Thorns Hall has 25 well-appointed guest rooms available in three categories: Classic, Premium, and Superior.

Classic Rooms are comfortable en-suite guest rooms, ideal for a peaceful night's sleep. Amenities include free Wi-Fi, tea and coffee-making facilities, toiletries (hand wash, shampoo, and shower gel), and a TV.

Premium Rooms are more spacious en-suite guest rooms*. Amenities include free Wi-Fi, tea and coffee-making facilities, toiletries (hand wash, shampoo, body lotion, shower gel), and a 32-inch TV. Extras include bathrobes, slippers.

Superior Rooms are even more spacious en-suite guest rooms offering upgraded views of the surroundings*. Amenities include free Wi-Fi, tea and coffee-making facilities, toiletries (hand wash, shampoo, body lotion, shower gel), and a 32-inch TV. Extras include bathrobes, slippers.

We love: The spacious Room 25 for its ground floor setting, brick fireplace, comfy seating, large bed, and gorgeous views of the gardens. Room 4 is large and airy while the cosier Room 13 has an exposed wood ceiling and courtyard view.

The Choose Your Room service is available at our UK country houses, allowing you the option of choosing and confirming a specific room for an extra charge of £30 per room. This is subject to availability. Upgrade supplements apply.

Room supplements

Superior	Premium single	Premium double/twin	Choose your room
£25 pppn	£20 pppn	£20 pppn	£30 per room

*Views and layout reflect each properties unique character and location

For accessibility and assistance information, please contact our expert team on 020 3974 8865 or view the accessibility information online for Thorns Hall

View more details View holidays here

More Information

Carbon Footprint

We see it as our responsibility to minimise our emissions, not just for this year but every year to come. Our work with sustainability experts, ecollective, has enabled us to measure our carbon footprint and create a strategy to reduce the carbon intensity of our product by 5% each year. Our ambition is to be net zero by 2040 – earlier if we can.

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Reviews

Code: SDB03-WBR05

2026

Back to dates

Fri 30 Oct – Mon 2 Nov 2026

Trip Note Download

Land Only

Members

Call to Enquire

020 3974 8865

Non-members

Call to Enquire

020 3974 8865

Single Price - Land Only

Members

Call to Enquire

020 3974 8865

Non-members

Call to Enquire

020 3974 8865

Single Supplement

Members

Call to Enquire

020 3974 8865

Non-members

Call to Enquire

020 3974 8865

Itinerary: 3 Nights - Itinerary

All our carefully-curated itineraries are designed by our experts. While we make every effort to adhere to the described itinerary, we may take an alternative route, or vary the running order for weather and/or operational reasons.

All holidays are subject to availability. Supplements may apply.

Fri 13 Nov – Mon 16 Nov 2026

Trip Note Download

Land Only

Members

Call to Enquire

020 3974 8865

Non-members

Call to Enquire

020 3974 8865

Single Price - Land Only

Members

Call to Enquire

020 3974 8865

Non-members

Call to Enquire

020 3974 8865

Single Supplement

Members

Call to Enquire

020 3974 8865

Non-members

Call to Enquire

020 3974 8865

Itinerary: 3 Nights - Itinerary

All holidays are subject to availability. Supplements may apply.

3 Night Guided Birdwatching in Western Yorkshire Dales

What You’ll Love

What's Included

Trip Suitability

Itinerary