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The roe deer is one of the most beautiful mammals in Britain and one of the most commonly seen on our morning tours — yet most visitors to the Lake District have never noticed one.
This is partly because roe deer are small — roughly the size of a large dog, standing about 65cm at the shoulder — and partly because they are active primarily in the early morning and evening, lying up in cover during the middle of the day when most visitors are out. And partly, if we are honest, because most visitors are looking at the scenery rather than the edges of it.
Our morning tours depart at 9am — which, in summer, is still within the morning activity period for roe deer. Tim's background as a natural historian means he scans field edges, woodland margins and fellside bracken automatically as he drives. On a typical morning tour through the Lake District valleys, we see roe deer more often than not.
The roe deer — Capreolus capreolus — is Britain's most widespread native deer. Unlike the larger red deer — which in the Lake District are found mainly on the high fell ground — roe deer are woodland and valley animals, living in the mixed habitats of fell edge, bracken, scrub and mature woodland that make up much of the lower Lake District landscape.
Roe deer are solitary animals, or found in loose family groups of a doe and her kids. They do not form the large herds of red deer — a typical sighting is a single animal, or a doe with one or two young.
In summer, roe deer have a bright chestnut-red coat with a pale rump patch — the rump flash is one of the most reliable identification features, visible as the animal runs away. The bucks carry short, upright antlers with typically three points on each side. They shed and regrow the antlers annually.
In winter, the coat turns grey-brown — darker and less conspicuous than the summer coat, well suited to the winter woodland. The white rump patch remains year-round.
The does give birth in late May and June, usually to twins. The kids — spotted like fallow deer fawns — are kept hidden in deep cover for the first few weeks of life while the doe grazes nearby. In June and July, guests on our morning tours occasionally see a doe with very young kids at the edge of a field — one of the finest wildlife sightings the Lake District offers.
Roe deer in the Lake District are most often seen at:
Field edges at the valley floor — particularly where improved pasture meets scrub or bracken. The deer graze on the pasture and retreat to cover when disturbed. Early morning, before the valley roads get busy, they often remain in the open fields for longer.
Bracken fellsides — roe deer use bracken as cover extensively. A large patch of bracken on a lower fellside is always worth scanning slowly — the deer often lie up within the bracken during the day and can be surprisingly difficult to spot even at short range.
Woodland edges — the margins between mature woodland and open ground, particularly in the lower valley woodland of Borrowdale and around the Ullswater shore.
Roadside verges on minor roads — roe deer frequently graze on roadside verges in the early morning, particularly on the quieter lanes of the Newlands Valley and the minor roads around Grasmere and Rydal.
On our tours, the roads from Windermere through Ambleside and north towards Grasmere pass through prime roe deer country in the valley floor fields. The Newlands Valley section of the The 10 Lakes Full-day Tour with Ullswater Cruise is particularly productive — the valley is quiet, the fields are small and the woodland edges are close.
This is one of the specific advantages of our morning tours that is easy to underestimate. The 8 Lakes Morning Tour and the early section of the The 10 Lakes Full-day Tour move through the landscape during the peak morning activity period for most of the Lake District's wildlife.
Roe deer, foxes, red squirrels, otters (occasionally) and the various birds of prey that hunt the valley floors are all most active in the first few hours of the day. By noon, most of these animals have retreated to cover or are resting. The afternoon tours pass through the same landscape but see significantly less wildlife.
The red deer — Britain's largest native land mammal — is present in the Lake District but much less commonly seen from our tour routes. Red deer in the Lake District are mainly fell animals, living on the high ground above the valley walls where our tours travel. They occasionally descend to the valley floor in winter when the high fells are snow-covered, and at these times they can sometimes be seen from the road.
If you want to see red deer reliably in the Lake District, Martindale — the remote valley on the eastern side of Ullswater — is the finest site. The Martindale herd is one of the only truly wild red deer populations in England. They are accessible on foot from the Howtown pier on the Ullswater Steamers.
How common are roe deer in the Lake District?
Very common in suitable habitat — valley floor woodland edges, bracken fellsides and scrub throughout the lower and middle valleys. They are present throughout the Lake District but most visible in the early morning.
Are roe deer the same as red deer?
No — roe deer are much smaller than red deer. A roe deer stands about 65cm at the shoulder and weighs 10–25kg. A red deer stag can stand 120cm at the shoulder and weigh over 200kg. In the Lake District, red deer are mainly on the high fell ground; roe deer are valley and woodland animals.
What time of year are roe deer most visible?
May to July, when the vegetation is not yet at full height and the does are active with young kids. Also October to December, when the bracken has died back and the fields are more open. In high summer the long vegetation makes deer harder to spot from moving vehicles.
What should I do if I see a roe deer kid alone in a field?
Leave it alone. Roe deer does hide their kids in vegetation while they graze and return to feed them regularly. A kid that appears to be alone is almost certainly not abandoned — the doe will be nearby. Do not touch it or move it.
Our morning tours are the best for wildlife sightings — including roe deer. 8 Lakes Morning Tour and The 10 Lakes Full-day Tour with Ullswater Cruise. Book here.