Carlton Marshes Visitor Centre Lowestoft

The nature reserve is open from dawn until dusk, seven days a week and is free to enter, although donations are very welcome. 

Car park

Normally, the car park opens at 9am and closes at 7.30pm (this time is subject to season). If you would like to arrive earlier or stay later, limited out of hour parking is available at the car park entrance, before the gate. 

Closed on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Boxing Day.

Visitor Centre & Toilets

Open seven days a week 

• 10am-4.30pm (Apr 23 -Nov 23)
• 9:30am-4:00pm (Nov 23 -Apr 24)

Our café serves hot food daily until 3pm and closes at 4.00pm.

Festive Opening Times:

23 December- Open as usual

24, 25 and 26 December- Visitor centre and toilets closed

27 December onwards- Open as usual

Address:

Burnt Hill Lane, Carlton Colville, Lowestoft, Suffolk, NR33 8HU

OS Map Reference: TM508920

Telephone: 01502 359480

How to find us:

By car & bicycle:

From Norwich, follow the A146 south towards Lowestoft.  When you are in Carlton Colville continue on the A146 ‘Beccles Road’.  Turn left on to Burnt Hill Lane when you see the signs for Carlton Marshes nature reserve. Follow the lane over the railway line and the reserve car park is signed on the left.

From Ipswich, follow the A12 ‘London Road’ north towards Lowestoft.  When you enter Lowestoft, continue on the A12 ‘Bloodmoor Road’, then at the roundabout take the third exit onto the A1117 ‘Elm Tree Road’ and carry on straight until the T-junction traffic lights.  Turn left at the lights onto A146 ‘Beccles Road’ for 0.5 miles.  Turn right onto Burnt Hill Lane when you see the signs for Carlton Marshes nature reserve, follow the lane over the railway line and the reserve car park is signed on the left.

Bicycle racks are located near the visitor centre. There is no cycling on the trails apart from the main track which leads off from Burnt Hill lane. 

By train: 

The nearest station is at Oulton Broad South. Enjoy a scenic 0.8 mile walk (18 mins) to the reserve.

Travelling from Ipswich take the Lowestoft train, disembark at Oulton Broad South (the penultimate stop). The service is run by Greater Anglia.

Travelling from Norwich take the train to Lowestoft and disembark at Oulton Broad North (the penultimate stop).  From the train station make your way to Nicholas Everitt Park where you can pick up signage to the reserve. The service is run by Greater Anglia.

By bus:

The Boarder bus service 146 (Norwich to Southwold) stops in Carlton Colville, opposite the Crown PH.  You then need to walk 1.3 miles (24 mins) adjacent to the A145 ‘Beccles Road’ and then walk down Burnt Hill Lane (take care, there is no footpath - you will be walking at the side of the road)

We do not charge for entry or car parking, the visitor centre or the reserve trails but in order to keep us running, we suggest a donation of £5 per car. Continuous support of the Trust enables us to do amazing work for wildlife here at Carlton Marshes and across the county. Our members are incredibly important to us and make a real difference to Suffolk’s wildlife. You can join Suffolk Wildlife Trust at Carlton Marshes or online.

There is a coach drop-off space, if you are planning on bringing a group, please ensure you have pre-booked your visit. 

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Café 

At Carlton Marshes our café provides a range of snack and lunch items, from tasty traybakes to local sausage rolls there's something for everyone to enjoy during their visit. The Visitor Centre hosts indoors seating with stunning open views out onto the marshes providing a comfortable vantage point to watch wildlife such as marsh harriers soaring by. Outdoor seating is available on our open veranda where water vole can be seen feeding in the dyke below.  Picnic tables are situated at the rear of the building in full view of the playscape so families can relax while children enjoy playing on our natural playscape.

Vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options are available daily. 

Cafe Menu

Visitors with dogs

Dogs are welcome in the Visitor Centre at designated dog priority tables. Please ensure dogs are well-behaved and kept on a lead whilst inside the Visitor Centre. 

Please stay on the permitted trails on the nature reserve and keep your dog on a lead. There is a dedicated dogs off lead area. For more information about dogs on our nature reserves, click here.

Shop

From bird feeders to children's toys, there is a large selection of products available at Carlton Marshes. Why not treat yourself or a loved one to locally made jewellery or explore the world of birds with our wildlife guides? Collection is also available from our online shop.

Please note that not all products online are available instore

Online Shop

Accessibility 

There is a public toilet for disabled visitors which is fully accessible.

Mobility Scooters 

Carlton Marshes has two mobility scooters available for visitor use at the reserve. There is a hire cost of £5 per morning/afternoon session. 

Scooters can be reserved in advance by emailing the reserve carlton.centre@suffolkwildlifetrust.org or when available they can be hired on the day by enquiring at the visitor centre.

Please note, not all of the nature reserve is suitable for mobility scooters, there is a route designated for mobility scooter use. 

Thank you to the Broads Authority for their support purchasing this equipment. 

An astounding 28 species of dragonfly have been spotted here. Carlton Marshes lie in the Waveney Valley at the southern tip of the Norfolk Broads and is part of the Suffolk Broads. It comprises a jigsaw of grazing marsh, fens, peat pools, short fen meadow, tall fen (called 'tall litter fen'), dykes, pools and scrub. Mostly man-made, these habitats have developed over hundreds of years of traditional management and now host specialised wildlife. 

Find out more

Our daily wildlife sightings will be noted on our sightings board. You just never know what’s going to turn up and when, which is why wildlife watching is so exciting.

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Discover

There is always something new and exciting to find at Carlton Marshes. Throughout the year we have a range of trails and activities to get children and families closer to nature including...

• Big Butterfly Trail £2 (Summer Holidays 2021)
• Bug Kit Hire £2 

Explore

With miles of nature trails to explore and some cosy viewpoints to hide inside if the weather is a little damp, the reserve is a great place to visit all year round.

It’s not all about the amazing animals and plants you can see though. Listen to the sound of the wind through the reeds, catch the call of a chiff chaff in the summer and listen out for the tell-tale plop of a water vole entering the water.

Trail map

Events & Activities

At Carlton Marshes we run a host of activities from early years groups to adult workshops to encourage all ages to connect with nature.

Find out more  

You can run on any of the waymarked trails (some are seasonal, so check and obey the signs).  You can also run or walk the Angles Way through the reserve from Oulton Broad to Beccles, along the river Waveney towpath.  There are cafés at either end – please use sustainable transport by taking the train or bus.

Is there an easy 5k loop?
Yes, we’ve saved this Garmin Connect course which is exactly 5 kilometres: https://connect.garmin.com/modern/course/244949252

Are some areas off-limits?
Yes, visitors need to keep to the trail paths to avoid disturbance to wildlife and the delicate environment.  Don’t worry though, the signage makes it easy to navigate the reserve.  Cycling is only allowed on the gravel bridleway from Burnt Hill Way.

Can I run with my dog?
Yes, we welcome well-behaved dogs and they should be on a short lead at all times on the reserve.

We are looking for enthusiastic people to help promote the work of Suffolk Wildlife Trust at Carlton Marshes Visitor Centre.

Enquire

We welcome pre-booked groups or parties to Carlton Marshes. Please let us know at least two weeks in advance of your arrival so we can be sure to accommodate you. If there’s an activity you’d like to take part in, or perhaps take a private tour or function, this can be arranged. Please give us a call on 01502 359480 or send an email to carlton.centre@suffolkwildlifetrust.org

Wild Birthday Parties

With lots of room and plenty to do, having a Birthday Party at Carlton Marshes is great fun for kids (and adults too!). For parties up to 30 children, please ask us for more details.

Find out more

Visitor Centre Activity Room

Our visitor centre activity room is situated within our main visitor centre building, with easy access to our café.  Equipped with tables, chairs, WiFi, a screen and projector, the room can be configured theatre style or with table layouts. Accommodating up to 50 people (Government restrictions may apply), this is a great space to host a meeting or a small workshop.

Please contact carlton.centre@suffolkwildlifetrust.org for availability and bookings.