Lackford Lakes by Mark Gosbee
By Steve Aylward
By Steve Aylward
By Steve Aylward
By Steve Aylward
By Steve Aylward
By Steve Aylward
Lackford Lakes Nature Reserve
Please note on Wednesday 24th April the centre will open later than normal at 12 noon and will close at normal time 4:30pm for food / drink and then will close at 5pm
Location
OS Map Reference
TL 801706Reserve is about ten minutes from Bury St Edmunds on the A1101, Bury to Mildenhall road.
Know before you go
Entry fee
Lackford Lakes is free to visit, however if you wish to support our work on the nature reserve, please consider making a donation or becoming a member of Suffolk Wildlife Trust.Bicycle parking
YesAccess
Fully accessible visitor centre with allocated parking and toilet for disabled people. The 1.5km Kingfisher Trail is negotiable by wheelchair, with ramped access to four hides.
The Winter Hide, reached by a firm 150m path from the car park, offers easy access for all visitors.
Parts of this reserve are accessible by mobility scooter.
Bernard’s Hide will open 9.30am – 5.00pm.
We ask visitors to spend a short while in this popular hide.
Stays are for a maximum of 1 hour with no return for 1 hour.
Quick-view seating provides short waiting times to ensure all visitors have the chance to enjoy wildlife from this hide.
Dogs
Facilities
When to visit
Opening times
Visitor Centre : Open 7 days a week 10am to 5pm.Reserve open from dawn until dusk.
Best time to visit
All year roundAbout the reserve
Listen to the sound of singing birds in spring with the arrival of nightingales and warblers from Africa. The first bees and butterflies start to make appearances on bright spring days.
Later in summer, the reserve is alive with damselflies and dragonflies. Swallows and martins sweep over the water's surface feeding on small flies. The lakesides are busy with nesting great-crested grebe, kingfisher, tufted duck and water rail. Bright stems of purple-loosestrife, common fleabane and gipsywort create colour at the water's edge.
Gold and red colours mark the coming of autumn with the arrival of a wide range of wildfowl. Birds including shoveler, lapwing, goosander, bittern and goldeneye depend on the lakes during the winter months.
Contact us
Environmental designation
Our seasonal trails!
Charlie the chiffchaff has returned from Africa, follow the trail to find out more about Charlie.
Look out for the first signs of spring around the reserve. For a suggested donation of £3 visitors can borrow a pair of binoculars to catch a glimpse of early spring wildlife. For a small donation children can try the signs of spring spotter sheet.
Just head inside when you arrive to find out more!
Group visits
If you are visiting as a group, please contact us on 01284 728706 in advance to check availability. Guided walks may be available if requested at the time of booking.
Upcoming events at Lackford Lakes
Lackford Lakes Blog
Spring has sprung at Lackford
Things are starting to stir on the reserve and the wildlife is beginning to think about breeding- wherever you look you can see signs of…
Early signs of spring at Lackford Lakes
Here at Lackford, winter still has a grip on the reserve but the first signs of spring are beginning to show through. Our ducks and…
Duck blog part 2
During the winter months at Lackford Lakes nature reserve, visitors will see thousands of ducks on the lakes. They arrive during the…
School visits to Lackford Lakes
Lackford Lakes by John Ferguson
Lackford Lakes by Mark Gosbee
Lackford Lakes visitor centre by John Ferguson
Sir David Attenborough by Tom Marshall
"England’s wildlife is under great and ever growing pressure. It is vital that we restore our land on a landscape scale so that it can support more wild plants and animals. "
-Sir David Attenborough
