What's here? at Leighton Moss

The Accessible toilet is on the ground floor at the rear of the visitor centre. It is open 24/7. There is an emergency alarm button and automatic light activated by movement.

Baby changing facilities are located in the accessible toilet on the ground floor, at the rear of the visitor centre.

The pathways around the reserve are level and well-maintained making it the perfect place for a stroll in nature with a pushchair.

Tramper all-terrain mobility scooters are available to hire for people with limited mobility. Please book in advance here as our Trampers are very popular.  

All trails (except path to Lower Hide) are fully accessible, with passing places where paths are narrow. All hides are wheelchair accessible, although we request Trampers are not taken into hides due to space limitations.

We are delighted to be part of the Ways Around the Bay Tramper hire scheme, with the 3 Reserves Trail starting at Leighton Moss.

They are located on the ground floor of the visitor centre.

The visitor centre is open daily. It is housed in a picturesque, converted barn and our friendly team are on-hand to welcome you on arrival and help you make the most of your visit.

Ground floor entry, step free and non-slip tiled flooring. Seats available on request. Lowered counter section. Good lighting.

Relax and recharge in our lovely café, open every day from 10am to 4pm. We serve a range of hot and cold drinks, snacks, cakes, light meals and ice creams. 

Last orders for hot food is at 2.30pm. 
There is outdoor seating available in the garden at the back of the visitor centre. 
High chairs available.

The café is on the first floor of the visitor centre, 16 stairs with hand rails. There is a stair lift on the rear stairs for those who need assistance getting upstairs.  

For those who cannot use a stairlift to access the café, our friendly team will bring your food and drink order to the ground floor.

Download our Café menu

Call in at the shop, open 7 days a week, from 9.30am – 5pm (closes at 4.30pm in December and January).

Our friendly and knowledgeable team are on hand to give you advice on our wide range of binoculars and telescopes, as well as bird food, bird care and gifts.

You are welcome to bring a picnic to enjoy on your visit, or pick one up from our café to take out with you. We have a total of 12 picnic tables with level access and wheelchair spaces, as well as a number of other benches around the site.

Please note that our café seating is for visitors who have purchased food and drink from our café only. Please help keep this place safe and special for wildlife and people by taking your litter home with you.

Our popular RSPB binoculars are available to hire on your visit: 
£7 RSPB Avocets
£10 RSPB Harrier 

Binocular hire is available daily from 9.30am, to be returned by visitor centre closing time. Last hire is an hour before closing.
 

We have a year-round events programme with guided wildlife walks, family activities, and specialist walks to see our rarest species.  You can see our events programme and book onto events here. 

We have seven hides and one viewpoint in total, they are all open from dawn to dusk.  

Lilian's hide, Tim Jackson hide, Grisedale hide, Causeway hide and Lower hide all overlook the reedbed.

Allen and Eric Morecambe hides give views over the saltmarsh and Morecambe Bay. (There is a separate car park for these hides, 1 mile from the visitor centre, this car park has a 2m height restriction)

Our 9m high Skytower gives an excellent bird's-eye view over Leighton Moss, the surrounding Arnside and Silverdale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and Morecambe Bay beyond.

Hides have a mixture of benches and/or chairs for seating. There are lower windows in most hides offering viewing space for those in wheelchairs.  All hides have step free access.

Windows in most hides (except Lower Hide) open outwards and are heavy to open and close.  Lower Hide has sliding windows, a stick is available to release the window catches for those who cannot reach the catches.

Download our trail map, to help you plan your visit.

Our trails are mostly flat, with some undulating sections. The lower trail has a gate at the point where it meets the Causeway. A variety of seating is available along the trails.

The Garden Trail is a short 380 metre circular route. This trail takes you through the middle of our sensory garden and passes the 9m high Skytower. This path is wheelchair accessible.

The Family Trail is approximately 1.6km / 1 mile long - this path is wheelchair accessible.

The Lower Trail is around 3.2 kilometres / 2 miles there and back. Take the Reed-edge Trail along a raised boardwalk – explore the dense reedbeds and listen for the secretive wildlife that hides there. This path is wheelchair accessible.

The Coastal Trail is 0.7 miles there and back, from its own, separate car park. This path is wheelchair accessible.

Dog friendly route – take the path through the garden, pass the Hideout, pick up the Lower Trail (do not use the Reed-edge trail boardwalk) taking the path alongside the road to the kissing gate (not currently wheelchair/Tramper accessible), walk along the road for about 100m, turn right to rejoin the Lower Trail at the end of the Causeway, which is a public bridleway. You can follow the public right of way beyond the end of the Causeway. Dogs are not permitted elsewhere on the reserve except this route.

Assistance dogs are welcome in all parts of the reserve.