Sandscale Haws NNR
The name Sandscale Haws is derived from the Scandinavian words 'sandra' and 'skali', meaning 'sand' and 'temporary hut', and the site was probably a wintering ground for sheep. Hawns is an old Norse word meaning 'hill'.
County: Cumbria
Main habitats: Coastal
Area: 264 Ha
Site map: Nature on the Map
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Although most NNRs are managed by Natural England, 88 are wholly or partly managed by other bodies approved by Council, under Section 35 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.
Sandscale Haws is managed by the National Trust.
The reserve is north of, and immediately adjacent to, North Walney NNR and comprises a mosaic of sand dunes, dune slacks, saltmarsh, shingle, grassland and freshwater marsh. There are also small areas of woodland and scrub.
The site is part of the Duddon Estuary a Special Protection Area (SPA), supporting important numbers of birds such as curlew, sanderling, dunlin, knot and redshank.
The common lizard and all six native amphibians (common frog, common toad, natterjack toad, smooth newt, palmate newt and great crested newt) occur on the site which supports around 15% of the British natterjack toad population.
The reserve is one of the most botanically rich coastal sites in the UK with over 600 recorded species. Scarce plants found in the area include marsh and dune helleborine, coral root orchid and round-leaved wintergreen.
The mammal population includes brown hare and five bat species: pipistrelle, Daubenton's, brown long-eared, whiskered and noctule.
A number of rare invertebrates can be found at Sandscale Haws, the silver spiny digger wasp and ruby-tailed wasp, the bee fly, southern grass bug, flat-backed millipede and Adonis' ladybird.
Location and access
Sandscale Haws is on the southern side of the Duddon Estuary, 7 km north of Barrow-in Furness. By road, access is via a minor road from the A590, and there is a car park on the edge of the reserve.
The nearest train station is in Askam, 3 km to the north east, served by Northern Rail.
The reserve is on the path of the Cumbria Coastal Way and near the end of Route 72 of the Sustrans National Cycle Network.
Facilities
The nearest refreshment facilities are in local towns. There is a toilet near the reserve car park and a number of well-defined paths cross the site.
