Newcastle Lake is situated in north county Meath and is an important site for the county's biodiversity. It is home to Kingfisher, Otter, Cormorant and Ravens. In winter Atlantic Salmon pass through it to spawn in the river Dee while wildfowl, including Whooper swans, roost on its calm surface. In summer the air buzzes with dragonflies and swooping Daubenton's bats. Ecological studies carried out on the site have gathered baseline information on the flora and fauna present, this vital information can be used in future monitoring of the site. The occurrence of species of national interest such as the Natterer's Bat and of European importance such as Salmon make Newcastle Lough a site of "significant ecological interest in the national and local context."    

 The Newcastle Lake reserve is privately owned and is not accessible to the public. The reserve is jointly managed by both the landowners and the Irish Wildlife Trust. While the reserve is not open to the public the IWT will organise guided visits of the reserve occasionally throughout the year, these visits will be open to IWT members. IWT membership goes towards the management of these reserves for the benefit of our native wildlife. So every new member counts!

For information on our reserves contact Kieran on This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it