nature reserves
Holkham National Nature Reserve stretches from Burnham Norton to Blakeney. It is possible to explore most of the area by following footpaths from the main car parks.
The core section of the reserve, from Wells to Holkham Bay, is crisscrossed by paths allowing access through the pine woodland.
There are three car parks. At Burnham Overy parking is free but there are charges for parking at Lady Anne’s Drive and Wells Beach Road. The car parks are linked by the Norfolk Coast Path, Peddars Way (a National Trail). To the east of Wells the footpath skirts a large area of saltmarsh and mudflats; tidal creeks are dangerous on a rising tide and this area should be avoided unless you have expert local knowledge.
We have cut two new paths into the reed-fringed scrub along the southern edge of the pinewoods to give you opportunities to get closer to our wildlife.
The Bluetail Trail and Warbler Trail are located off the main footpath from Holkham to Burnham Overy between the two bird hides.
Likely sightings include: Yellow-browed warbler, Redwings, Bramblings, Chiffchaffs, and hopefully rare Asian migrants such as Pallas’s warbler and Red-flanked Bluetail.
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It was purchased in 1926 to be held ‘in perpetuity as a bird breeding sanctuary’. It provided a blue print for nature conservation which has now been replicated across the UK. In 2012 an appeal helped purchase a further 57 hectares linking the two NWT reserves at Cley and Salthouse together, creating a single coastal reserve of more than 300 hectares. Today, Cley and Salthouse Marshes is one of the country’s most popular birdwatching sites, attracting more than 110,000 human visitors each year. The six hides (four of which are accessible via boardwalks) give fantastic views across pools and scrapes that are specially managed to attract breeding and passage birds. The award-winning visitor centre features interactive interpretation, regularly changing exhibitions, and a well-stocked gift and book shop.
The Simon Aspinall Wildlife Education Centre provides popular events, workshops, performances, guided walks and seasonal festivals. The centre is named in memory of naturalist, Simon Aspinall (1958 – 2011) in recognition of his contribution to ornithology and nature conservation, both in the UK and abroad.
There is also a large café which serves tasty local produce and offers panoramic views over the marshes and coastline.
One of the country’s most accessible reserves, Sculthorpe is internationally recognised for its wildlife. The reserve is located in the beautiful Wensum Valley in Norfolk, and is a marvellous, peaceful place with a huge variety of wildlife in a rich and unusual mosaic of woodland, fen and reedbed habitats.
Boardwalks make access easy for everyone, and lead you through the reserve, visiting all the best areas. Bird feeders and nest boxes are sited along the way, adding further interest and there are viewing platforms, places to sit and relax along the way.
A series of hides for watching wildlife are located throughout the reserve and include the elevated, tree-top Volunteer Hide and Aerial Walkway. All hides are fully accessible by wheelchair. Sculthorpe Moor can proudly boast that we are one of the most disabled-friendly and accessible nature reserves in the whole country.
Snettisham RSPB reserve is a nature reserve in the care of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, situated near Snettisham in the county of Norfolk, England, north of King’s Lynn, and close to Sandringham. It faces The Wash, a large estuary. Wildlife observation hides give panoramic views across the saline lagoons, salt marsh and the vast expanse of mudflats that make up The Wash.
On the biggest high tides from late summer onwards, tens of thousands of wading birds take flight as the incoming tide pushes them off the vast mudflats. We call this the ‘whirling wader spectacle’, a special event which doesn’t happen everyday. Before travelling to the reserve to see this spectacle, we’d highly recommend you check our Snettisham Spectaculars Dates and Times Guide found in the downloads section below.
https://www.rspb.org.uk/reserves-and-events/reserves-a-z/snettisham/
Holme Dunes is a 192-hectare nature reserve near Holme-next-the-Sea in Norfolk. It is managed by the Norfolk Wildlife Trust, and is a National Nature Reserve. At Norfolk’s northwest corner, where The Wash meets the North Sea, Holme Dunes is superbly located to attract migrating birds.
It also holds a variety of important habitats which support numerous other wildlife species including natterjack toads, butterflies and dragonflies, as well as a large number of interesting plants.
Various military remains from the Second World War can be glimpsed around the reserve, including the remnants of a target-railway used to train artillery. Much earlier remains have also been discovered including Roman pottery and, in 1998, a well-preserved Bronze Age timber circle, which became known as ‘Seahenge’. The circle was uncovered by strong tides, having been hidden for some 4,000 years. No longer at Holme, the structure was removed for preservation purposes by archaeologists. It is now on view at King’s Lynn Museum.
https://www.norfolkwildlifetrust.org.uk/wildlife-in-norfolk/nature-reserves/reserves/holme-dunes
Titchwell marsh is located on the north coast of Norfolk, between the villages of Titchwell and Thornham, Titchwell Marsh is blessed with diverse habitats that include reedbeds, saltmarsh and freshwater lagoons where avocets, bearded tits and marsh harriers nest. There’s also a wide sandy beach here, which offers extensive views across The Wash.
https://www.rspb.org.uk/reserves-and-events/reserves-a-z/titchwell-marsh/