Big Water

Big Water is a nature reserve located just past Brunswick Village in Seaton Burn, Northumberland. Covering an area of 25 hectares, it offers a diverse range of habitats including open water, reedbeds, wet woodlands, and meadows. The reserve is a reminder of the mining heritage in the area, as it formed over collapsed mine workings from the 1920s along the Hartley Burn.

Access to the western section of the reserve is restricted to Northumberland Wildlife Trust (NWT) members, while the eastern section is managed by Newcastle City Council as a public recreation area. The reserve features raised boardwalks that provide easy access for wheelchair and pushchair users, allowing visitors to explore the diverse wildlife.

Birdwatchers will be delighted by the presence of various bird species, including tree sparrows, great tits, blue tits, chaffinches, great crested grebes, mute swans, coots, moorhens, herons, tufted ducks, and occasional visitors such as water rails and bitterns. The reserve is also a significant roosting site for large flocks of swallows during autumn migration and supports wintering wildfowl.

Within the reserve, there are two locked bird hides available exclusively to NWT members, a bird feeding station, and screens for close observation of wildlife. A raised viewing platform and a pond dipping platform are also available for visitors to enjoy.

Please note that only guide and assistance dogs are allowed in the reserve, and there may be grazing cows in the fields. The reserve is open 24/7 throughout the year, making it accessible for visits at any time.