Lodmoor

In line with Government guidance on essential, daily exercise outdoors, our trails are open. We urge you to follow the legislation around non-essential travel and please visit your most local nature reserves and green spaces only. Please observe current guidelines on social distancing, face coverings, group sizes, hygiene and follow all signage on-site. See our Covid-19 updates page for the latest safety information (link below). Thank you for your support and understanding.

Address: RSPB Lodmoor, Preston Rd, Weymouth DT3 6HS

Grid ref: SY688809

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

Lodmoor is a quiet haven for wildlife in the popular seaside town of Weymouth. The combination of a large reedbed, open water, saltmarsh, wet grassland and bushes attract a variety of different birds, including bearded tits and Cetti's warblers, gulls, ducks, kingfishers and winter waders.

Plan your visit

Open at all times.

Free entrance to RSPB members: Yes

Adults: Free

Children: Free

Car park cost: Pay and display.

Facilities

Viewing point
Nature trails

Accessibility

How to get here

By train

Weymouth is the nearest station, 1 mile (1.6 km) from reserve.

By bus

There is a frequent local service to Overcombe Corner, Lodmoor Country Park, 1 mile (1.6 km) from Weymouth seafront (Kings statue).

By bike

This reserve is on Route 26 of the National Cycle Network.

By road

North-east of Weymouth, it is 1 mile (1.6 km) from Weymouth town centre, situated adjacent to the A3155 (Preston Road). There is parking available at 3 car parks near the reserve. They are all council run, Lodmoor Country Park, to the west of the reserve, Heron Close, at the eastern end of the reserve, or street parking on Southdown Avenue on the north side of the reserve.

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.

Get directions from Google Maps

RSPB reserves on Google Earth

We ask that dog owners keep their dog on a lead when visiting the reserve. Please pick up after your dog, take waste away with you and dispose of it in any dog waste bin in Weymouth.

We welcome group visits to Lodmoor. The reserve does not have any on-site staff to welcome the group, but you can get the latest information about the reserve from the team in the Discovery Centre at Radipole Lake in Weymouth.

There are three council run car parks close to the reserve, Lodmoor Country Park can accommodate coaches. For further details, please call Radipole Lake on 01305 778313 or email weymouth@rspb.org.uk.

12 degrees, Sunny day

Downloads

Helping you find your way around. PDF, 927Kb

Lodmoor trail guide

Contact Lodmoor

RSPB Lodmoor, Preston Rd, Weymouth DT3 6HS
weymouth.reserves@rspb.org.uk
01305 778313
@RSPBWeymouth
Find us on facebook

What will you see?

Our star species

Marsh harrier

One of the top predators which hunts the reed beds. Watch them year round but early spring look up for their ‘skydancing’ display hundreds of metres above the reed beds.

Bearded tit

A real specialist of the reed so much so that their other name is the Bearded Reedling. Often located by their pinging call but on calm days they are readily seen feeding of the seed heads of the reeds.

Cetti's warbler

For a small bird these really make a racket! Their short but blasting song can be heard from the scrub year round but best seen in early March when males are most territorial.

Common tern

The colony arrives en masse in late Spring and are hard to miss due to their noisy courtship displays. Watch them throughout the summer arguing with their neighbours and raising their young until they fledge and head out into Weymouth bay before setting off to Africa for the winter.

Nature spectacles

Lodmoor is a great spot for winter wading birds, with a few rarities dropping in, as well as plenty of regulars such as lapwings, black tailed godwits and dunlin. Find up-close views of a common tern colony and a reedbed full of the sounds of bitterns, bearded tits and Cetti's warblers. You will get the best views from our viewing screen.

About Lodmoor

Habitat

Lodmoor comprises of large areas of freshwater reedbed, scrub and saline marsh.

Conservation

We carry out annual reed cuts to keep the reed healthy, producing lots of seed which is a great source of food for bearded tits.
We clear ditches to produce edge habitat which is ideal feeding habitat for bittern. It also ensures there is flowing water which is vital for fish populations.
Our scrub management ensures we retain reedbed, so it doesn't turn into woodland. Plus, we make sure we keep some scrub for wildlife, such as reed buntings and cetti's warblers.
We've created a more dynamic system within the salt marsh (more sea water coming in and going out because we've propped open the flap valve). This means there's more mud for waders and the throughflow of water means it doesn't stagnate and is more active, more food species for waders.

Site information

RSPB Lodmoor is a 76-hectare reserve in Weymouth, Dorset. The reserve is owned by Weymouth and Portland Council but managed by the RSPB and is a designated SSSI. Most of the reserve is freshwater reedbed but the southern section is connected to the sea under the sea wall.

Latest blog posts

read our blog

Marshside

Lytchett Fields

Arne

Lodmoor