Once a busy, bustling locomotive yard, Engine Lonning is now a peaceful woodland haven for wildlife.
As you explore the site, keep an eye out for the colourful mosaics and bold metal birds created by artists Chris Brammall and Helen Clues that show some of the animals and birds you might spot along the trail.
Download our Wild Woodlands Nature Trail Guide and see how many woodland species you can find on your walk.
Below is just a glimpse of the wildlife you might spot as you explore the woodland.
Be sure to bookmark this page and check back soon, as we add even more species for you to discover.
Found in the city as well as the countryside, the red fox is a familiar sight, particularly when scavenging for food thrown away by humans! Foxes make their homes in underground dens and are usually most active at dusk and during the night. But don't be surprised if you see one during the day, as some foxes have become quite used to people.
Foxes will eat almost anything and aren't fussy eaters; their diet includes small mammals, birds, worms, berries and fruit.
Did you know? Foxes are surprisingly chatty animals! They use around 28 different sounds to communicate with each other. Male foxes, called dogs, often make a bark-like call, while female foxes, known as vixens, can make a loud scream. Listen carefully on an evening walk and you might just hear a fox calling nearby!
Find out more about foxes at The Fox Project, and on the Wildlife Trust's website.
How many signs of foxes can you spot? Look out for footprints, dens, or even a glimpse of a bright orange tail disappearing into the bushes!
Listen out for a fast, rhythmic tapping in the trees, and you might have found a Great Spotted Woodpecker!
The UK's most widespread woodpecker, these striking birds are often seen clinging to tree trunks. They are smaller than you think - only about the size of a blackbird. Their bold black and white feathers make them easy to spot, and if you look closely, the males have a bright red patch on the back of their necks.
Great Spotted Woodpeckers are famous for their distinctive "drumming" sound, created by hammering their beaks rapidly against dead wood. This helps them communicate and mark their territory. This doesn’t hurt them as they have a shock-absorbing skull! Their varied diet includes insects, seeds and nuts (really important in winter), and they may even visit garden bird feeders in search of a snack.
Did you know? Their tongues are so long that they can reach insects hidden deep inside tree bark!
Can you spot a Great Spotted Woodpecker during your visit? Keep an eye on tree trunks and listen carefully for their unmistakable drumming. You can also visit the RSPB website to hear what their call sounds like to help you.
As the sun sets and the sky starts to darken, keep an eye out for the tiny Common Pipistrelle bat. Weighing about the same as a 20p coin, these bats are the ones you're most likely to spot darting through the evening sky. Fast and agile, they swoop and twist through the air chasing insects, often catching and eating them on the wing!
Pipistrelles use an incredible skill called echolocation, sending out high-pitched calls and listening for the echoes that bounce back. This allows them to find tiny insects and avoid obstacles, even in complete darkness. Their favourite foods include small flies, midges and mosquitoes, making them an important part of our natural environment.
During the day, Common Pipistrelles roost in roof spaces, tree holes and specially designed bat boxes. They are most active from May to October, before spending the colder winter months in hibernation.
Did you know? Some children, and adults with particularly good hearing, can hear certain pipistrelle calls as faint high-pitched squeaks. Next time you're outside on a warm summer evening, stop and listen carefully; you might hear one flying overhead!
Fidn out more about these curious creatures on the Woodland Trust's website.
Can you spot a pipistrelle bat shortly after sunset? Find an open space, look up at the sky, and count how many bats you can see swooping and diving as they hunt for their evening meal.
Keep your eyes peeled after dark and you might spot one of the UK's most common rodents, the Wood Mouse. Also known as the long-tailed field mouse, this small, agile rodent uses its climbing and running skills to navigate woodland habitats in search of food.
Wood mice make their homes in burrows beneath tree roots, but they can also be found sheltering in sheds, old bird boxes and other hiding places. As night falls, they emerge to forage for nuts, seeds, berries and insects. Their large ears and keen senses help them stay alert to danger, which is important when predators such as tawny owls, foxes, badgers and cats are on the hunt.
Unlike some small mammals, wood mice do not hibernate during winter. Instead, they collect and store nuts and berries in autumn, creating hidden food supplies to help them survive the colder months as they nest.
Did you know? Although they look a lot like house mice, wood mice can be identified by their larger ears, bigger eyes and longer tails, perfect adaptations for life in the wild. Find out more about wood mice on the Woodland Trust website.
Can you spot signs of a wood mouse? Look for nibbled holes in nuts, tiny droppings the size of rice grains, or be very quiet and listen carefully for rustling leaves as these busy little animals search for food after sunset.
Wildlife and landscape of this hidden gem near Kirkby Stephen
A great place for the people of Penrith to enjoy being in and watching nature.
A place where trees and people can thrive
A haven for wildlife in Penrith