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Minsmere

Minsmere
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Facilities

Facilities

  • Visitor centre
  • Information centre
  • Car park : Large car park on site. No overnight parking. Parking for two coaches by advance booking only. Bicycle racks outside visitor centre.
  • Toilets
  • Disabled toilets
  • Baby-changing facilities
  • Picnic area
  • Binocular hire
  • Group bookings accepted
  • Guided walks available
  • Good for walking
  • Pushchair friendly

Viewing points

Seven birdwatching hides and a public viewing platform. Four hides and the viewing platform overlook the Scrape. Three of these hides are wheelchair accessible. Two hides overlook the reedbed. One of these is on stilts and accessed via steps. The final hide is in the woodland, and accessed via steps.

Nature trails

Two circular trails, each about 1.5 miles (2.4 km) long, from the visitor centre. Allow about two hours for each trail. The circuit of the Scrape takes you through scrub, reedbeds, and along the beach. North, West and South Hides and the North Wall viewing platform are fully accessible to pushchairs and wheelchairs, but East Hide and the public viewing platform are accessed via the beach. We have opened a temporary trail to bring you closer to the autumn migrants and allow you to Minsmere from a different perspective. The North Bushes trail starts close to North Hide and takes you through this area of scrub in search of migrant warblers, flycatchers and chats, with maybe the chance of a rarity. The Island Mere circuit takes you through woodland and reedbeds. This route is not wheelchair accessible, although access to Island Mere Hide is possible by parking in a small layby (blue badge holders only) and walking about 300 m to the hide. This path is accessible for wheelchairs with difficulty, except after wet weather.

Tearoom

The tearoom also sells light meals.

Refreshments available

  • Hot drinks
  • Cold drinks
  • Hot meals
  • Cold meals
  • Snacks
  • Confectionery

Shop

Large selection of books, optics, outdoor clothing, bird food and gifts.

The shop stocks:

  • Binoculars and telescopes
  • Books
  • Bird food
  • Bird feeders
  • Nestboxes
  • Outdoor clothing
  • Gifts

Educational facilities

Minsmere is an exciting place for young people to learn. We offer a varied programme of educational visits led by experienced field teachers. All activities are linked to the National Curriculum and are fully risk-assessed. Activities for Key Stages 1 and 2 include bird adaptations, food chains, birdwatching, minibeast safari, pond dipping and seaside habitat. Programmes can be tailored to suit particular requirements. Educational visits cost £3 per pupil for a half-day visit (10 am-12.30 pm) or £4 per pupil for a full day (10 am-2.30 pm), and accompanying adults are free. Special programmes can be arranged for secondary schools, including behind the scenes tours with an RSPB warden to look at how the reserve is managed. For further details and booking arrangements, please contact the visitor centre.

Contact us

01728 648281

Nearest town: Saxmundham, Suffolk

Grid reference: TM473672

Directions

For directions, please see our How to get here page.

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