Welcome
RSPB Lakenheath Fen is a 400+ hectare nature reserve, created in 1995 when the RSPB bought an area of intensively-farmed arable land beside the river Little Ouse. Over the next couple of years, the charity re-shaped the land and turned it into a mosaic of fen, wet grassland and reedbed, designed primarily to attract breeding bitterns; a bird at serious risk of extinction in the UK at the time.
Since then, bitterns have flourished, and the reserve had become a haven for other wildlife, including bearded tits, hobbies and dragonflies. We are open to the public every day, with a friendly and welcoming Visitor Centre, refreshments, toilet facilities and several miles of trails to explore!
Level access
There is level access from the main entrance to:
Welcome/Information deskAccessible / baby changing toiletPin badges and cardsThere is level access from the car park to:
Visitor Centre picnic areaHearing
General
Getting here
Travel by public transport
These distances are to the edge of the reserve itself, and if walking from the train station, along a well-maintained grass verge. The Visitor Centre is a further 0.4 miles down the entrance track (heading west). This track is level, clean and broad and although pedestrians share it with vehicles, it is a quiet track with plenty of space to pass one another safely.
Travel by taxi
Parking
Arrival
Path to main entrance
Main entrance
During Visitor Centre opening hours (9am to 5pm daily) there will always be a volunteer or member of staff on hand to open the doors. Outside of these hours, a wooden side-gate will be open, held open by a padlock.
Getting around inside
Ticket/ information desk
Welcome/Information desk
The desk is approximately 1 metre high, but generally isn't used by visitors, but by volunteers and staff instead. Conversations are generally had away from this desk, items are handed out and payments made not really using the desk- the desk is there to hold the till and other items for staff and volunteers to use.
Things to See and Do
Public toilet
Accessible / baby changing toilet
There is also an emergency pull-cord, a grab rail on the door, a low-positioned door lock (with a large handle), a basin, sanitary waste bin and hand-dryer.
Shop
Pin badges and cards
We sell a small range of small items, such as RSPB pin badges, greetings cards, postcards and prints by a local artist.
Place to eat and drink
Indoor seating
We sell hot drinks (made using a coffee machine) in takeaway cups and sell a range of cold pre-packed snacks, such as flapjacks, cereal bars and crisps, some of which are gluten and/or dairy-free, and/or vegan. We also sell ice-creams and vegan sorbet too.
We have a limited amount of indoor seating with views of bird feeders.
Getting around outside
Brandon Fen family/accessible trail
The path is at least 1200mm wide throughout the trail.
Designated Walking Trail
Trial Wood trail
Trial Wood trail can be uneven in places, and is grassed so can be slippery after rain or early in the morning. It is a circular 1600m route which begins at our New Fen accessible car park. Walking from the Visitor Centre would add another 1000m.
Designated Walking Trail
East Wood trail
Designated Walking Trail
Main Circular trail
Mere Hide is accessed via a hard-surfaced track and boardwalk (with passing places) which leads off due south from the main track through the reserve (east to west).
Mere Hide
Picnic Area
Visitor Centre picnic area
Some of our tables are hexagonal, with sections of seating absent to allow a wheelchair-user to pull up underneath and use the table. Our other tables are rectangular, and allow for a wheelchair-user to sit at the ends, where there are no benches.
Customer care support
Parking permits (free of charge) for drivers who wish to use our accessible car park at New Fen- this area has space for around six cars, and enables visitors to access parts of the reserve with much less walking involved than if they were to walk from the Visitor Centre. For example, New Fen viewpoint is roughly 70m from this car park, or 1100m from the Visitor Centre, on foot.
Permits are collected from the Visitor Centre during opening hours (9am to 5pm daily) and returned here by 4pm. Please display your permit on your vehicle's dashboard when parked at New Fen.