Binoculars at the ready, it’s all about wildlife watching this October half-term as the National Trust opens its brand new bird hide at Freshwater West.

The bespoke timber roundhouse, which has been crafted with wood sourced from the Stackpole Estate, opens to the public with an official launch event on Thursday, October 29, between 11 am and 1 pm.

Designed to neatly nestle into the landscape and allow visitors to get closer to nature, the bird hide sits on the Castlemartin Corse wetland and is easily accessible via the Trust’s network of permissive paths.

The open day is free to attend and will include a guided ranger walk starting from Freshwater West car park, an insight into the local flora and fauna, along with the chance to enjoy a spot of wildlife watching from the hide. Wellies and waterproofs are a must for the event!

Speaking ahead of the launch, Jonathan Hughes, the National Trust’s general manager for Pembrokeshire, said: “Freshwater West is a truly special place and we’re delighted to be making more of the landscape accessible for the public to enjoy.

“The beautiful new bird hide, together with the walking trails, enable visitors to explore beyond the beach and discover the wildlife that calls the site home.

“With the work funded by the National Trust’s Neptune coastline campaign, it’s also an opportunity for people to see how their kind donations really do make a difference in helping us conserve the area.”

The National Trust cares for 60 miles of Pembrokeshire’s coastline, and on average, it takes around £3,000 a year to look after just one mile.

The bird hide installation forms part of a wider project that the charity is currently leading on at Freshwater West to improve access and conservation, as well as thinking ahead to coastal change.

Find out more at nationaltrust.org.uk/pembrokeshire