RSPB Lakenheath Fen

RSPB Lakenheath Fen

Address: Lakenheath Fen, Station Rd Lakenheath, Brandon, Suffolk, IP27 9AD

Walking Difficulty: Green – Walks are flat, mostly on tracks with only some on grass

Length: Various routes up to 3 miles

Cost: Free for RSPB Member, £5 ea for adult non members, concessions available, no extra charges for parking.

Today’s walk in nature was a visit to the RSPB reserve at Lakenheath Fen. I had seen pictures before of it on friends’ social media and had added it to the ‘to do’ list. Despite it being a windy December day, we had a lovely time and spent a good couple of hours walking around. As it is only 20 minutes or some from home, we are planning on coming back again at different times so we can enjoy it through the various seasons of the year.

The site is bordered to the south by the railway line, and to the north by the Little Ouse River. The main circular walk is approximately 3 miles long and all on the flat. There are a number of hides on the walk, along with ample benches to sit and watch the world go by and enjoy the sight and sound of mother nature.

Signs around the site for the walks are very good, and well maintained. Due to the nature of the site some are looking a bit weather beaten, but I have no doubt the volunteer team will soon sort.

History of the reserve

Originally an area of farmland used to grow carrots, this wetland reserve has been converted lovingly by the RSPB. It is now a rich mix of reedbeds, marshes and woodlands where Otters and Kingfishers flourish and are regularly spotted.

Since 1995 when they started with the site, the RSPB and it’s volunteers have created nearly 500 hectares of grazed fenland, reedbeds, and wet grasslands where wildlife flourishes. Now, they ensure that wildlife continues to thrive by grazing grasslands to help keep the grass at the right height and managing the water levels across the reserve to benefit different species birds at different times of year.

With the reedbeds now well established here, they are regularly cut back to maintain a balance of old and new reeds.

Catering

The visitor centre has a selection of hot and cold drinks and snacks to buy that are reasonably priced. They also have a selection of ice creams available to buy for the summer months.

Toilets are available back in a separate block by the car park and visitor centre and are open daily.

The above picture was taken from one of the many hides. We saw a wide variety of birdlife on our visit including Marsh Harriers and Red Kites circling above. There was also the sound of bearded tits as a background noise throughout much of the reserve.

Due to the flat nature of it being fenland, you do notice a definite breeze throughout your visit. This clearly wasn’t a ‘one off’ for our visit, as you could see from the way the plants were growing.

Visitor Extras?

Yes, the reserve runs regular guided tours and events throughout the year to further the enjoyment of your visit. If you want to have a good look at the birds that can be seen throughout the site, binoculars are available to hire from the visitor centre for a charge of £5 per day

All photo credits on this blog belong to the author Richard