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
Coronavirus
Update: Thursday 26th March 2020
In addition to the centre closure and cancellation of events and volunteer work parties, our reserve toilets and hides are now closed.
Our nature reserves are still open for local residents to walk to and enjoy. Nature can replenish and cheer us all, however, we stress the need for everyone to respect other visitors, to follow government advice and the 2-metre social distancing guideline.
Thank you for your continued support.
Lackford Lakes has a fully accessible visitor centre and café with views of the reserve, open 7 days a week.
Please be aware there is limited access for dogs around Sayers Breck, with no access to the lakes or hides. Only assistance dogs are allowed in the centre and around the reserve.
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.
Parts of this reserve are accessible by mobility scooter.
The Winter Hide, reached by a firm 150m path from the car park, offers easy access for all visitors.
Dogs
Facilities
When to visit
Opening times
Visitor Centre : Open 7 days a week 10am to 5pm. Refreshments available 10am to 4:30pmReserve 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.
The visitor centre and café is open 7 days a week and sells hot and cold drinks, pre-packed sandwiches, hot and cold savouries, ice cream, lollies and a variety of cakes and snacks, some of which are gluten free.
Species
Contact us
Environmental designation
Location map
Our seasonal trails!
Winter is a great time to visit the reserve. Lots of birds winter here and the lakes can be quite different from day to day as the weather is so changeable during the winter - some days will be windy, some days will be frosty and others might even be snowy. Find out more about our winter wildlife on our boards around the blue trail.
For a suggested donation of £3 visitors can borrow a pair of binoculars. For a small donation children can try the winter 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
Bird song and Id guided walk
Lackford Lakes Nature Reserve,
Lackford Lakes, Bury St Edmunds , Suffolk, IP28 6HX
Young wardens- Lackford Lakes
Lackford Lakes Nature Reserve,
Lackford Lakes, Bury St Edmunds , Suffolk, IP28 6HX
Spring Discovery day at Lackford Lakes
Lackford Lakes Nature Reserve,
Lackford Lakes, Bury St Edmunds , Suffolk, IP28 6HX
Monthly morning guided walk at Lackford Lakes
Lackford Lakes Nature Reserve,
Lackford Lakes, Bury St Edmunds , Suffolk, IP28 6HX
Easter bug hunt
Lackford Lakes Nature Reserve,
Lackford Lakes, Bury St Edmunds , Suffolk, IP28 6HX
The big egg hunt
Lackford Lakes Nature Reserve,
Lackford Lakes, Bury St Edmunds , Suffolk, IP28 6HXMonthly afternoon guided walk at Lackford Lakes
Lackford Lakes Nature Reserve,
Lackford Lakes, Bury St Edmunds , Suffolk, IP28 6HX
Pond dipping
Lackford Lakes Nature Reserve,
Lackford Lakes, Bury St Edmunds , Suffolk, IP28 6HX
Teens: Wildlife Photography at Lackford Lakes
Lackford Lakes Nature Reserve,
Lackford Lakes, Bury St Edmunds , Suffolk, IP28 6HX
Wild about play
Lackford Lakes Nature Reserve,
Lackford Lakes, Bury St Edmunds , Suffolk, IP28 6HX
Spring bird ID at Lackford Lakes
Lackford Lakes Nature Reserve,
Lackford Lakes, Bury St Edmunds , Suffolk, IP28 6HX
Lackford Lakes Wild kids club
Lackford Lakes Nature Reserve,
Lackford Lakes, Bury St Edmunds , Suffolk, IP28 6HXLackford Lakes Blog
Three cheers for the chiffchaff!
This week it has really felt like spring with the first singing chiffchaffs today- at least two- one near the Visitor Centre and another…
A hint of spring at Lackford
February is the month when there is a hint of spring around the reserve with our ducks displaying on our lakes and some of our resident…
What is out and about on the reserve this January.
Bullfinches have been showing well, lots of snipe are on the slough and plenty of ducks on the sailing lake.
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
