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Places you can see lambs

A ewe stands next to her two lambs at Scotney Castle, Kent, with all of them facing towards the camera.
A ewe with her two lambs at Scotney Castle, Kent | © National Trust Images/Sam Milling

Lambs in the landscape are one of the first and most popular signs of spring. Different breeds can be spotted at many of the places we look after – find the best places to spot spring lambs near you.

Arlington Court, Devon
Arlington Court has traditionally been home to Jacob sheep, but over the last few years we’ve been introducing new breeds. Why not pay a visit this spring to meet the new flock of lambs?Visit Arlington Court
Borrowdale and Derwent Water, Cumbria
Borrowdale has a long history of hefted sheep which roam the landscape. Look out for the flocks of Herdwick sheep, kept on traditional farmland by farm tenants – Beatrix Potter herself once raised this breed. If walking with dogs, please keep them on a short lead at all times to protect the lambs.Visit Borrowdale and Derwent Water
Calke Abbey, Derbyshire
Calke Abbey is home to a small flock of rare Portland sheep. The lambs are born with a foxy-red coat which changes to creamy-white in the first few months.Visit Calke Abbey
Charlecote Park, Warwickshire
Rare Jacob sheep are a long-established part of the parkland at Charlecote. They were first introduced to pastures surrounding the lake to help manage the grassland habitats. Keep an eye out for lambs frolicking in the fields from mid-April.Visit Charlecote Park
Chirk Castle, Wrexham
Chirk is still a working estate, with tenants farming the land. During spring, spot lambs leaping around as the flocks graze the parkland, helping to maintain the natural habitat for other wildlife species.Visit Chirk Castle
Clumber Park, Nottinghamshire
During spring and summer, a flock of Hebridean sheep graze at Clumber Park. Come and visit to see the sheep and their lambs, and discover how they help to shape the landscape.Visit Clumber Park
Crom, County Fermanagh
Flocks of sheep graze the landscape at Crom, so there’ll be plenty of new lambs to spot in spring. The sheep are looked after by tenant farmers, who check on them regularly during lambing season.Visit Crom
Two newly born lambs
Two newborn lambs at Llanerchaeron, Ceredigion | © National Trust Images/Heather Birnie
Downhill Demesne, County Londonderry
If you’re taking a stroll across the Downhill Demesne estate, keep an eye out for flocks of sheep and lambs. These hardy grazers can cope in all weathers – ideally suited for this exposed site.Visit Downhill Demesne
Erddig, Wrexham
Newborn lambs can be seen in this wildlife haven where, for more than 300 years, the parkland has been open for visitors to explore. The meadows and parklands create a rich food source for sheep, so why not come and spot a lamb or two on your next visit?Visit Erddig
Eskdale and Duddon Valley, Cumbria
With its wide-open spaces and traditional farmsteads, Eskdale and Duddon Valley is a great backdrop for photographing lambs at play. Take a walk along the river Esk and find the traditional Herdwick sheep grazing with their young. Please keep your dogs on a short lead to help protect pregnant ewes and lambs.Visit Eskdale and Duddon Valley
Felbrigg Hall, Norfolk
Take a spring stroll around the estate at Felbrigg and spot flocks of ewes and their lambs grazing in the parkland. See if you can spot any jumping playfully as you walk among them.Visit Felbrigg Hall
Fountains Abbey, North Yorkshire
Look out for the sheep and their newborn lambs outside Swanley Grange and discover the abbey’s historic connections to the wool trade. After spotting some woolly lambs, explore what the monastic granges were used for and try your hand at some spring activities.Visit Fountains Abbey
Greys Court, Oxfordshire
Come and see the lambs at Greys Court – just one of the many signs of spring to be found here, along with swathes of bluebells around the estate and apple blossom in the Walled Garden.Visit Greys Court
Kingston Lacy, Dorset
Lambing season at Kingston Lacy will be in full swing throughout April – join a free drop-in session on selected dates to meet the lambs and the Farm Manager at this busy time of year. Get up close to the lambs and learn more about this rare-breed of Portland sheep.Visit Kingston Lacy
Close up of a lamb at Wimpole Estate, Cambridgeshire
A lamb at Wimpole Home Farm, Wimpole Estate, Cambridgeshire | © National Trust Images/Justin Minns
Ickworth, Suffolk
With miles of parkland and woodland to explore, Ickworth is a great place to spend a spring day. Around 2,000 lambs are born here each year – watch them having fun and discovering their new home as you wander around.Visit Ickworth
Llanerchaeron, Ceredigon
Remarkably unaltered for more than 200 years, this self-sufficient estate includes a Georgian villa, walled garden and working farm. Lambs are born here from mid-March onwards. Don’t forget to say hello to the other animals too, from Welsh black cattle to chickens and geese, and even rare Welsh pigs.Visit Llanerchaeron
Orford Ness, Suffolk
Orford Ness is home to a very important flock of sheep, whose grazing helps conserve the landscape and encourage ground-nesting bird habitats. The first lambs were born here in spring 2014. Every year more newborns take their first steps under the watchful eyes of Ranger Andrew Capell and his sheepdog Sweep.Visit Orford Ness
Shugborough Estate, Staffordshire
There's a flock of 40 Southdown sheep at Shugborough, which are lambed in the visitor farmyard every year. There are lots of lambs to see in spring, so why not plan a visit to see them?Visit Shugborough
Snowshill Manor, Gloucestershire
The fields that lead up to the manor are the nursery for the Clun Forest lambs that belong to a tenant shepherd. While you visit, look out for spring flowers like daffodils and crocuses across the gardens, along with blossom in the orchards.Visit Snowshill Manor
Stowe, Buckinghamshire
Stowe's tenant farmers use the land in much the same way as it would have been during the time of Viscount Cobham, one of the estate's former owners. The resident sheep and cows control the grass growth and help recreate the historic views. Don’t forget to look out for the newborn lambs in spring.Visit Stowe
Wimpole Estate, Cambridgeshire
Visit in spring to meet the newborn lambs at Wimpole, where more than 250 rare-breed ewes give birth to several hundred new additions to the flock each year. You can see the lambs skipping, playing and exploring the farm.Visit Wimpole

The types of sheep we look after

Learn about different types of sheep that you can find at some of the places in our care.

Whitefaced Woodland ewe and lamb at Home Farm on Wimpole Estate, Cambridgeshire
Whitefaced Woodland ewe and lamb at Home Farm on Wimpole Estate, Cambridgeshire | © National Trust Images/Catherine Hayburn

Whitefaced woodland

This endangered species of sheep can be found at places such as Wimpole Estate in Cambridgeshire, Orford Ness in Suffolk and Sutton Hoo in Suffolk. The whitefaced woodland is England's largest hill breed, and can survive on harsh terrain. Both the ewes and rams can grow heavy spiralled horns.

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