Welcome
RSPB Greylake, located in the heart of the Somerset Levels and Moors, is an exciting place to explore. See lapwing, redshank and snipe nesting in spring and vast flocks of ducks and waders, being hunted by birds of prey in winter.
Our easy access trail provides level, hard standing surface access to parts of the reserve and hides, giving a fantastic opportunity to get up close to the wildlife at Greylake. This circular walk is just under half a mile long (700 metres) suitable for wheelchairs and pushchairs, easy to follow and has benches along the way to soak up the atmosphere.
There are no toilet or refreshment facilities availiable at this reserve. This reserve is unstaffed.
Level access
There is level access from the main entrance to:
EntranceVisual
Getting here
Travel by public transport
Parking
The car park is directly connected to the main entrance of the reserve. Access to the entrance of the reserve from the car park is across a level wooden bridge (1100 mm at narrowest point). After crossing this bridge there is a hard standing path and then a wooden gate (1600 mm at narrowest point with a trobone latch) to pass through to access the reserve.
Only assistance dogs are permitted on the reserve.
Arrival
Path to main entrance
Main entrance
Main entrance to the reserve is on a hardstanding path through a wooden gate with a trombone latch.
Getting around inside
Entrance
There is no indoor entrance to RSPB Greylake. For the purposes of this guide the reserve entrance is considered the picnic area between the car park and the gate to to the reserve. The doorway listed above is the wooden bridge connecting the car park to the picnic area and wider reserve. At its narrowest this bridge is 1100 mm.
Further detail on the picnic area can be found under the getting around outside section.
There is a view point on the left hand side of the car park which gives a view over part of the reeds. This can be accessed by ramp (1:16 gradient) or a flight of 10 wooden steps. The ramp has a grass surface which has grown over plastic matting. There is a wooden hand rail on both sides of the stairs and a hand rail on one side of the ramp (the right hand side when going up and the left hand side when going down).
Getting around outside
Easy Access Trail
The Easy Access train is a hardstanding trail with a compacted stone surface. The Easy Access Trail meanders alongside ditches and ponds which means that there is access to open water in some places. Reeds and other vegetation grow along the waters edge and obsure it in places.
There is a wooden floating pond platform part way around the path (see photos). There is an edgeboard but no railings around the edge of this platform. The top of the wooden ramp connecting the platform to the path is not flush. The ramp slopes down towards the platform away from the path. As the platform is floating on the water it creates a wobbly walking surface. There is a wooden bench in the centre of the platform with a back but no sides.
There are a few passing places around the Easy Access trail.
There are four benches with sides but no backs dotted around the Easy Access trail. These benches range in height from 37 cm to 51 cm high.
The path crosses the private drove road that runs through the centre of the reserve. A gate with a trombone latch is on either side of the drove road. This private drove road is used by farm machinery and other vehicles. A couple of times a year this drove is also used to move cattle.
Lookout Hide:
There is a raised threshold on the door entrance. There are 4 benches, no back or sides, which are fixed in place and 2 benches, no back or sides, which are moveable. To secure the windows open they need to be opened inwards and lifted up, then secured by placing the chain over a hook.
Treehouse Hide:
The first half of the wooden boardwalk to the hide has a raised lip on either side and the second half has railing on one side and willow screening on the other. There is chicken wire over the surface of the boardwalks. There can be overhanging vegetation in this area. This hide is closed on 3 sides and open at the back. There are 3 moveable benches with no back or sides in this hide. To secure the windows open they need to be opened inwards and raised up and secured by placing the chain over a hook.
Please note a live electric fence which forms part of the predator defences in the area near the hides. It can not be easily reached when staying on the boardwalk.
Designated Walking Trail
Reedbed Loop
The Reedbed loop is an uneven, undulating, grass path on peat. The path can be muddy and slippery after wet weather and during the winter which can also cause holes to form in the path. Woodchip has been put down on the surface of the path in some areas.
There are wooden benches dotted around the reedbed loop. These benches range in height from 53 cm - 63 cm. The benches do not have backs or sides.
[Currently Closed] There is a narrow willow screen at the heart of the reedbed on the Reedbed Loop. There is encroaching vegetation on the grass path to this screen. The distance between the bench and the screen is 54 cm. The top of the shelf is 100 cm from the ground. The fixed bench in the screen has a back but no arms. This screen is currently closed.
Another willow screen can be found at the end of an additional there and back grass path of 1,000 meters off of the Reedbed Loop. This screen has 3 benches with no backs or sides. The benches are fixed in place. The benches are 48 cm high. There is a gap of 41 cm between the benches and the screen at the narrowest part. There is no shade in this area. There are no benches on the path to the screen.
Lookout Hide
Treehouse Hide
Picnic Area
There are 2 picnic benches in the picnic area. 1 bench has an overhang on the table ends to allow use by wheel users. The bench is situated in a grass area just off of the main hard standing path.
Customer care support
None