Lakenheath Fen

Welcome! We’re continuing to follow government guidance to make your visit safe and enjoyable - see our Covid-19 updates page for the latest information (link below). In line with government recommendations, we ask that all visitors, unless exempt, continue to wear a face covering in our indoor spaces, including hides. Please also #RespectProtectEnjoy the special wildlife here and each other, by keeping to the paths, being mindful of other people’s space, following signage on-site and directions from our friendly team. Thank you.

Address: RSPB Lakenheath Fen, Station Rd, Lakenheath, Brandon, Thetford, Suffolk. IP27 9AD

Grid ref: TL724865

What3Words: typist.hydrant.crackles

See our reserves Covid-19 updates page for which sites are open and other important details.

With big skies, extensive reedbeds and booming bitterns. Come and see how the RSPB has transformed former carrot fields into a magical wetland home for kingfishers, cranes, otters and watervoles. Our visitor centre has everything you need to find out more about the reserve and its wildlife.

Plan your visit

Nature reserve: open daily, dawn-dusk.
Main car park: open daily, dawn-dusk.
Blue badge car parking: available at New Fen during Welcome Point opening hours, via collection of a permit from a member of the team.
Outdoor welcome point: open daily, 9am-4pm in winter (31 October 2021-26 March 2022), 9am-5pm in summer (27 March 2022-29 October 2022).
Refreshments: available daily, 9am-4pm in winter (31 October 2021-26 March 2022), 9am-5pm in summer (27 March 2022-29 October 2022).
Toilets: open daily, 9am-4pm inwinter (31 October 2021-26 March 2022), 9am-5pm in summer (27 March 2022-29 October 2022).

Festive opening times

Christmas Eve: nature reserve, trails, viewpoints, Mere Hide and main car park open, dawn-dusk. Visitor Centre, toilets and takeaway refreshments closed.
Christmas Day: nature reserve, trails, viewpoints, Mere Hide and main car park open, dawn-dusk. Visitor Centre, toilets and takeaway refreshments closed.
Boxing Day: nature reserve, trails, viewpoints, Mere Hide and main car park open, dawn-dusk. Visitor Centre, toilets and takeaway refreshments closed.
27-30 December: nature reserve, trails, viewpoints, Mere Hide and main car park open, dawn-dusk. Visitor Centre, toilets and takeaway refreshments closed.
New Year’s Eve: nature reserve, trails, viewpoints, Mere Hide and main car park open, dawn-dusk. Visitor Centre, toilets and takeaway refreshments closed.
New Year’s Day: nature reserve, trails, viewpoints, Mere Hide and main car park open, dawn-dusk. Visitor Centre, toilets and takeaway refreshments closed.
2 and 3 January: nature reserve, trails, viewpoints, Mere Hide and main car park open dawn – dusk. Visitor Centre, toilets and takeaway refreshments closed.
All other days in the festive period are open our usual winter opening hours as above.

Free entrance to RSPB members: Yes

Adults: £4

Children: £2
Free entrance for first child
Free entrance for under 5s

Student: £3

Free entrance for carers: Yes

Facilities

Visitor centre is closed
Car park
Toilets
Accessible toilets
Baby changing
Pushchair friendly
Refreshments
Picnic area
Binocular hire
Guided walks
Viewing point
Nature trails
Play area

Accessibility

How to get here

By train

At weekends, some trains call at Lakenheath. A new footpath links the visitor centre with Station Road north of the railway station. On weekdays, the closest station is Brandon, 4.7 miles away (7.5km).

By bus

No scheduled buses serve the reserve, but the on-demand Brecks Bus from Brandon and Thetford is available Monday-Friday. To book, phone Brecks Bus on 01638 664304 by noon the weekday before travel.

By bike

The best links for buses are along the byways from Brandon and Hockwold.

By road

From Lakenheath village, travel north on B1112 for about 2 miles (3.2 km). Go over the level crossing and turn left into reserve entrance. From Hockwold village, travel south on B1112 for nearly 1 mile (1.6 km), go over the river bridge and turn right into reserve entrance.

Sat nav POI file: If you have a satellite navigation system that can accept POI files, please see our POI page for a download link and instructions.

Other ways to get there

A new footpath links the visitor centre with Station Road north of the railway station. The Hereward Way long-distance footpath runs alongside the reserve and provides a good link into Brandon (4.7 miles/7.5 km).

Get directions from Google Maps

View on What3Words

RSPB reserves on Google Earth

Dogs are welcome on the Washland Footpath. Please keep to the designated rights of way only. Brandon Fen trail, Trial Wood trail, the East Wood trail and the Main Circular trail are not public footpaths, so sorry, no dogs are permitted here other than assistance dogs.

When on the Washland Footpath, please keep your dog on a lead and under close, effective control at all times, due to the sensitive wildlife and habitats / livestock here. We know that the countryside is a dog walking paradise. It’s important to remember the special surroundings here are wonderful havens for rare wildlife so we’ve created designated dog-friendly routes for you and your pooch to enjoy. Even if dogs are very well behaved, wildlife / livestock can easily become startled by a loose dog they perceive as a predator.

Disturbing wildlife does more than simply causing it to move away; it uses up their energy, decreasing their chance of survival regardless of season. Thank you for protecting the special wildlife here by keeping your dog on a lead and under close, effective control.

Dogs die in hot cars, please do not leave your dog in the car when visiting us.

We welcome group visits including coach parties. Please contact us well in advance so that we can plan and allocate car parking spaces and provide introductions to the reserve if required.

*Due to Covid-19 measures, we are currently not taking school bookings until further notice. In the meantime, check out our fantastic range of resources for teachers here, or take on the Schools’ Wild Challenge here*

We are able to run a limited number of school visits each year. We offer environmental education out on the reserve including pond dipping and bug hunting. Please contact us if you are interested in arranging a visit.

Downloads

Helping you find your way around. PDF, 188Kb

Lakenheath Fen trail map

Contact Lakenheath Fen

RSPB Lakenheath Fen, Station Rd, Lakenheath, Brandon, Thetford, Suffolk. IP27 9AD
lakenheath@rspb.org.uk
01842 863400
@RSPBLakenheath
Find us on facebook

What will you see?

Our star species

Marsh harrier

Present throughout the year with a winter roost, spring sky dancing and prey passing in the summer.

Bittern

Bitterns are perfectly adapted for life in the reedbeds at Lakenheath.

Crane

In 2007, cranes bred for the first time at Lakenheath Fen.

Bearded tit

Bearded tits can be seen perched up on stems in calm weather and feeding on fallen seeds on the mud.

Kingfisher

Keep your eyes pealed for that unmistakable flash of blue around the water at Lakenheath Fen.

In spring, you can hear booming bitterns, and cuckoos calling in the poplar woods.
Hobbies reach their highest numbers in May - with up to 40 in the air at any one time.
The reedbed is full of singing reed and sedge warblers.

Watch the breathtaking antics of the marsh harriers as they display above the reedbed.
Admire the aerobatic hobbys as they gather to feed on insects above the reedbed.
Bittern feeding flights may be visible.
Try to identify the many different dazzling dragonflies whizzing over the water.
Enjoy the colours of beautiful fenland plants and butterflies.

In autumn, hobbies, turtle doves, warblers and all other summer visitors return to sub-Saharan Africa for the winter.
Look out for barn owls hunting silently over the grassland at dusk.
The trails are great for viewing orb weaver spiders, hobbies may be present until October.
Autumn is the best time to catch a glimpse of elusive otters!

You can see teal, gadwall, tufted duck, wigeon, shoveler and on occasion whooper swans.
Spot the majestic cranes in flight over the reedbeds.
See bearded tits out and about around the reserve.
Keep your eyes peeled for shy water rails hiding underneath the visitor centre feeders.
Witness the incredible sight of thousands of rooks and jackdaws roosting in the poplar woods.
Watch marsh harriers roosting in the reedbeds

About Lakenheath Fen

Habitat

Lakenheath Fen reserve comprises a mixture of wetland and woodland south of the Little Ouse in Suffolk. The RSPB has converted an area of arable farmland into a large wetland, consisting mainly of reedbeds and grazing marshes. The new reedbeds have attracted hundreds of pairs of reed warblers and sedge warblers, as well as bearded tits and marsh harriers.

Conservation

We are working to restore Lakenheath Fen's former biodiversity and to create a home for many specialist reedbed species like bitterns.

Since 1995 we've created nearly 400 hectares of habitat on the reserve including wet reedbed, ungrazed fen and wet grassland. This has encouraged a variety of birds and other wetland wildlife. Our work includes grazing and controlling water levels. Now the reedbeds are well established we are managing them by cutting to maintain a mosaic of old and new reeds.

Lakenheath forms part of a network of other fenland nature reserves. These include Wicken Fen, Chippenham Fen, Woodwalton Fen and the washlands of the rivers Great Ouse and Nene. Many are now undergoing similar restoration and extension projects.

Together these reserves will conserve and recreate some of the region's original natural character and biodiversity. Extensions to these reserves will help us to replace some of the coastal marshes at risk from sea-level rise along the Essex, Norfolk and Suffolk coasts.

Site information

Lakenheath Fen forms part of a broader network of wetlands across the fenland region, that will both restore its former biodiversity and help protect it from the threats posed by rising sea levels.

Latest blog posts

read our blog

Activities and events

Activities for children and families

Lakenheath Fen has a Wildlife Explorers group run from the reserve. We hold events for the group once per month on a Saturday throughout the year. In addition, our event programme includes specific sessions for families during school holidays. Please contact the visitor centre for further information or look at our events listing.

For more information on events and to book tickets, please visit events.rspb.org.uk/lakenheathfen

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