About

Leighton Moss is home to the largest reed bed in north-west England. This sweeping expanse provides shelter to a spectacular range of wildlife including Otters, Bearded Tits, Marsh Harriers, egrets and Red Deer. Why not come and see for yourself?

Set against the shores of the nearby Morecambe Bay, this Lancashire nature reserve is a wetland paradise where wild creatures roam reedbeds, mudflats, coastal marsh and saltwater lagoons. Explore a bit further and you will also find pockets of woodland and limestone grasslands.

The team at Leighton Moss works to make sure the different habitats are places where nature can thrive. The reedbeds need to be extensively cut back in summer and winter to create ideal conditions for Bearded Tits, Otters, Bitterns and wintering wildfowl. We also monitor and manage the water levels all year round.

We have increased the size of the reedbeds in recent years, adding a further 200 hectares. Our inner marshes are grazed by cattle to create suitable conditions for these birds throughout the year.

The limestone grassland and woodland is managed by putting cattle out to graze and rotating when we cut back trees, to provide a mix of established trees and new growth.

At a glance

See what’s here

Find out about school visits

Bring your science and geography lessons to life with our curriculum linked sessions run by our learning team on the reserve. We offer a variety of hands on, practical sessions which you can choose from. Find out more about our school visits here.

Contact Leighton Moss