We’re so excited that our brilliant team of RSPB Badger Hide Guide Volunteers are in the final of the VisitEngland Tourism Superstar Awards 2026.
Our team of Caroline (featured in the video link below), Phil (featured in the video), Kathryn, Phil, Lee, Gillian, Graham and Mel are our amazing volunteers who have helped us take this incredible, close-up experience with the UK’s largest land predator from a 1-day per week experience to five days (April-October) and have taken the income we raise from £4K to £15.5K a year, all helping our landscape restoration work here at Wild Haweswater.
Our RSPB Badger Hide offers visitors a unique chance to view Badgers up close in the Lake District National Park.
The success of this experience is largely thanks to our team of RSPB Badger Hide Guide Volunteers who welcome guests and share their enthusiasm for both our local wildlife and ongoing landscape restoration efforts here at Wild Haweswater.
Thanks to their enthusiasm and dedication, we’re able to bring an incredible close-up experience of this charismatic mammal to hundreds of visitors each year.
Please vote for us in the VisitEngland Tourism Superstar Awards 2026, by 22 March here.
Watch our finalists video here.
To find out more about our Badger Hide or to book your experience, visit our events page here.
Image credits: 1) (L-R) Phil Swainson, Annabel Rushton and Caroline Langfield from the Badger Hide Guides Team, thanks to Matt Miles. 2) A visitor enjoys a close up encounter with a Badger at the RSPB hide, thanks to Alastair Thomson.
– Blog by Annabel Rushton, RSPB People and Partnerships Manager for Wild Haweswater. Posted Wednesday 11 February 2026
