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Top places to spot otters
Secretive by nature and living in just a few locations throughout the country, otters are a rare find for wildlife spotters. But thanks to the conservation efforts of our rangers and volunteers, there are holts (otter dens) at a number of the places in our care; from the Pembrokeshire countryside to the centre of Winchester.
- Berrington Hall, Herefordshire
- The lake at Berrington is home to lots of wildlife, but some of them are more secretive than others. If you watch carefully, you might see the resident otters as they explore the area. The team are working hard to conserve this habitat, in the hope that they’ll get even more sightings of these special creatures.Visit Berrington Hall
- Crom, County Fermanagh
- The protected waters around Crom Estate are home to many otters. You have a good chance of spotting them near the jetties at the Visitor Centre or along the shore of Inisherk Island, and they can sometimes be seen swimming past the old castle ruins. Our rangers, along with other conservation organisations, work tirelessly to make this spot a haven for wildlife.Visit Crom
- Long Mynd, Shropshire
- Otter numbers are set to increase between Long Mynd and Stiperstones, thanks to a current initiative called 'Stepping Stones'. This nature conservation project is working to create corridors to connect the area's wildlife habitats. Come and enjoy the Shropshire countryside and see if you can spot any otters.Visit Long Mynd
- Nunnington Hall, North Yorkshire
- The River Rye runs through the grounds of Nunnington Hall and is home to a small family of otters. Visitors often see one or two of them playing in the water as they cross the footbridge over the Rye to enter the property.Visit Nunnington Hall
- Penrose, Cornwall
- Staff and visitors at Penrose have had sporadic sightings of otters over the past 20 years. They've recently been seen along the River Cober, among the reeds and even in the parkland fields. The rangers are working to improve the habitat for otters around the river and Loe Pool.Visit Penrose
- Stackpole, Pembrokeshire
- Once a very rare occurrence, otters are now doing well in the rich and protected environment around the Bosherston Lakes at Stackpole. You stand a good chance of seeing one in the daytime, especially in the Eastern Arm area of the lakes by the Eight Arch Bridge.Visit Stackpole
- The Weir Garden, Herefordshire
- Visit this unusual walled garden on the banks of the River Wye and search for the tiny footprints of the resident otters that are regularly spotted along the riverbank and inside the boathouse. We're in the process of restoring over 65 hectares of priority habitat, which will hopefully lead to more otter sightings.Visit the Weir Garden
- Winchester City Mill, Hampshire
- You might not expect to find otters in the middle of an urban area, but these special creatures are regular visitors to Winchester City Mill. The Mill also has observation equipment in place to record their adventures, and visitors can enjoy clips from the archive or even watch the live feed of the river bank on the otter-cams.Visit Winchester City Mill
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