Spend the night alongside owls at the Cumberland Bird of Prey Centre, located just minutes from the Lake District.
The Cumberland Bird of Prey Centre has expanded its offering by adding overnight accommodation, giving visitors to Cumbria and the Lake District the chance to enjoy a truly memorable staycation.
The centre, run by falconer Gary Swainson who has more than 35 years of experience, has been operating on the site since 1993. After the Covid pandemic reshaped how guests visited, Swainson chose to diversify once again.
This is not the first time the centre has adapted to external challenges. During the 2001 foot and mouth outbreak, the business was restructured from a traditional zoo into a ticketed bird flying attraction.
Located just outside Carlisle, the centre now offers exclusive facilities including private hot tubs, a hidden sauna and ice bath in the Lost Disco area, and fire pits. It has already attracted international visitors from regions such as Australia, South America and Asia.
The sanctuary is home to an array of exotic birds of prey such as a Turkey Vulture, Bateleur Eagle, Chilean Blue Eagle, and several owls. Among them is a Snowy Owl that has become a favourite with overnight guests due to her proximity to the sleeping quarters.
Guests booking a stay not only enjoy unique accommodation but also take part in an interactive bird flying session, making it one of the most distinctive breaks available in the UK.
The remote setting also provides a haven for native owl species living in the wild, enhancing the immersive nature experience.
On launching the new venture, 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 can now host up to eight guests across its custom-built container lodges, which are available to book directly via its website.
