Bat Watching Evening at Haddon Hall

“As the volume of bats in the chapel peaked, I can honestly say that it was one of my favourite wildlife, maybe even life, experiences. I’m not a big adventurer but I’ve travelled thousands of miles to see blue whales, and the concentration of bats in the beautiful chapel as the sun set, just 5 miles from my home, was up there with that for sheer, almost profound, wonder.” – Attendee on Bat Watching Evening  

Join us after hours at Haddon Hall, as twilight falls, for a truly unique and unforgettable experience! Back by popular demand, we are delighted to be able to offer four very special Bat Watching Evenings in 2025 within the Chapel, Lower Courtyard and Medieval Park at Haddon, hosted by the Derbyshire Bat Conservation Group. These events allow you the opportunity to observe hundreds of these wonderful animals at very close quarters in a magnificent setting, and use bat detectors to hear and identify different species. 

Your evening begins in the beautiful 12th Century Chapel with a fascinating presentation by specialists, after which you will be given a bat detector to listen to the hundreds of Pipistrelle and Long-Eared Bats as they leave their roost and fly around the vaulted space. Your evening then continues in the Lower Courtyard to watch the bats weave expertly between the medieval towers and use echolocation to navigate and hunt for insects. Finally, make your way down to the banks of the River Wye to watch Noctule and Daubenton’s bats swooping over the water and through the wildflower meadows.

20% of your ticket price goes directly to the Derbyshire Bat Conservation Group to help support their work to protect bats in the local area. The remainder enables us to protect the buildings and precious landscape here for the future. 

Please note that tickets are non-refundable.