Lakenheath Fen

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Address
RSPB Lakenheath Fen, Station Rd, Lakenheath, Brandon, Thetford, Suffolk. IP27 9AD
Grid ref
TL724865

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

Opening times

Dawn to dusk every day.

Entrance charges

Free entrance to RSPB members
Yes
Adults
£3
Children
£1.50 (5-17 year olds)
Free entrance for first child
Free entrance for under 5s
Student
£2
Other discounts

Visitor centre only – FREE entrance

RSPB members – please show our staff on duty your membership card.

Facilities

  • Visitor centre
  • Car park
  • Toilets
  • Accessible toilets
  • Refreshments
  • Picnic area
  • Binocular hire
  • Guided walks
  • Viewing point
  • Shop off-site
  • Educational facilities

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
RSPB reserves on Google Earth

Group booking information

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.

Schools booking information

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.

What will the weather be like?

22 degrees, Overcast

Downloads

Helping you find your way around. PDF, 188Kb

Lakenheath Fen trail map

Contact Lakenheath Fen

What will you see?

Our star species

Recent sightings

Lakenheath Fen RSPB reserve, view across pools and reedbeds

Find out about recent wildlife sightings at Lakenheath Fen.

read more

Seasonal highlights

  • 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 forum posts

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Latest blog posts

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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.

Events

Wednesday 22 August
Wild Challenge children's event: Tracks and signs
Suffolk
Wednesday 29 August
Wild Challenge Children's event: Shake a tree
Suffolk
Saturday 1 September
Going batty at RSPB Lakenheath Fen
Suffolk
More events

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Reedbeds and pools at RSPB Lakenheath Fen nature reserve

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Sunset at Lakenheath Fen RSPB reserve. Suffolk, England. November 2006.

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Volunteer

 You can volunteer for us in hundreds of ways. Explore these pages to find an opportunity that suits you.