Knettishall Heath Nature Reserve

Knettishall Heath uffolk Wildlife Trust

By Steve Aylward

Knettishall Heath Exmoor ponies

By Steve Aylward

Knettishall Heath Suffolk Wildlife Trust

By Steve Aylward

Knettishall Heath Suffolk Wildlife Trust

Knettishall Heath by Steve Aylward

Knettishall Heath little Ouse Suffolk

By Steve Aylward

Knettishall Heath Suffolk Wildlife Trust

By Steve Aylward

Knettishall Heath Nature Reserve

Breckland is one of the UK’s biodiversity hotspots and the designation of much of Knettishall Heath as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) reflects this.

Location

Knettishall Heath
Thetford
Suffolk
IP22 2TQ
A static map of Knettishall Heath Nature Reserve

Know before you go

Size
175 hectares
P

Parking information

£2.50 for the day (between 10am and 9pm). Pay on site using the contactless machine, with the RingGo app, or by phoning Bransby Wilson: 0203 046 0060.

Grazing animals

Ponies graze areas of the reserve all year round, please keep dogs on leads and do not approach the livestock.

Please refer to links in walking trails for more information.

Walking trails

There are six trails around the reserve between 1 and 2.5 miles in length. Paths are generally good but can occasionally be muddy in winter. Permissive route for horse riders.

Do’s and don’ts when walking with livestock       
Ponies on our nature reserves

Trail map

Access

Unsuitable for wheelchairs.

No drone flying without express permission.
(Permission will only be granted in exceptional circumstances)

If you'd like to visit this reserve as a group, please contact us in advance.

Find out why we ask you to keep your dog on a short lead at most of our reserves and why this is important for wildlife conservation. Why we ask dogs are kept on a lead

Dogs

On a lead
i

Facilities

Toilets
Picnic area
Baby changing facilities
Outdoor play area

When to visit

Opening times

Reserve open 7 days a week. The toilets are open 9am – 4.30pm

Best time to visit

April to October

About the reserve

Of the more than 12,500 species living in the Brecks, 30% are nationally rare. Despite its name, Knettishall Heath is in fact a diverse mosaic of habitats with woodland and riverside meadows, as well as large areas of heath. It extends to over 430 acres.

The open landscape created by our Bronze Age ancestors 4,000 years ago had changed very little until the 20th century when forestry and modern farming transformed large parts of The Brecks. Knettishall Heath still retains a sense of what this ancient landscape must have looked like in the past. The 18th century rabbit warren and the Bronze Age burial mound at Hut Hill are evidence of thousands of years of human occupation, but at the western end of the heath, the ‘patterned ground’ is the product of a much earlier time. At the end of the last ice age, repeated freezing and thawing of the ground created a unique mixing of the sandy soil and the underlying chalk. The unusual vegetation stripes seen here reflect the two soil types and the different plants that grow in each.

Today, many rare species are still found at Knettishall Heath. Some such as the grey carpet moth are only found in Breckland, while for others such as maiden pink or flixweed, the Brecks is a national stronghold. Knettishall Heath benefited from a gift in the will of William & Mary McAtamney along with with support from The Heritage Lottery Fund.

Contact us

Environmental designation

Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI)

Events coming soon:

A video tour of Knettishall Heath

Follow our West Suffolk Engagement Officer, Lauren Mack, as she provides this short guide around the landscape and habitats at of Knettishall Heath.

Explore Knettishall Heath from the air

Our vision for the future of Knettishall Heath

Parking season ticket

If you would like to purchase a 12-month season parking ticket at £45, please fill in this form:

Parking season ticket

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