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  • Rye Meads

Rye Meads

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Address
RSPB Rye Meads, Rye Rd, Hoddesdon, Hertfordshire SG12 8JS
Grid ref
TL389103
What3Words
they.foil.stands

This delightful wetland reserve beside the River Lee is a firm favourite with walkers, birdwatchers and photographers thanks to its many trails and hides. Common terns nest on specially-created rafts during the summer, while snipe, green sandpipers, shovelers, gadwalls and tufted ducks take over during the winter months. Artificial sandbanks are a great place to spot the blue flash of a kingfisher.

Plan your visit

Opening times

The below facilities at Rye Meads are open 7 days a week, 9am-5pm or dusk if earlier:

  • Nature reserve
  • Car park
  • Visitor Centre
  • Refreshments
  • Toilets

Festive opening times

  • Christmas Eve: nature reserve, visitor centre, refreshments and toilets closed.
  • Christmas Day: nature reserve, visitor centre, refreshments and toilets closed.
  • Boxing Day: nature reserve, visitor centre, refreshments and toilets closed.
  • 27 December: nature reserve, visitor centre, refreshments and toilets closed.
  • New Year’s Eve: nature reserve, visitor centre, refreshments and toilets open, 9am-4.30pm.
  • New Year’s Day: nature reserve, visitor centre, refreshments and toilets open, 9am-4.30pm.
  • All other days in the festive period are open our usual winter opening hours as above.

Entrance charges

Free entrance to RSPB members
Yes
Adults
Free
Children
Free
Car park cost

There are no entry fees to the nature reserve, but the following parking charges apply:

  • RSPB members: FREE
    (please show us your membership card on arrival)
  • Non-members: £4 per vehicle
  • Blue badge holders: FREE
    (please display your badge in your windscreen)

Facilities

  • Visitor centre
  • Car park
  • Toilets
  • Accessible toilets
  • Baby changing
  • Refreshments
  • Picnic area
  • Binocular hire
  • Guided walks
  • Nature trails
  • Educational facilities

Accessibility

  • Download full accessibility statement (PDF)

How to get here

By train

Rye House Station (400 yards/366 m). There is a direct train from Liverpool Street. Climb the steps out of the station and turn right towards Rye Meads, with the Historic Rye House Gatehouse on your left. Follow a footpath on the left side of the minor road for 300 m until you reach the visitor centre.

By bus

The nearest bus stop (700 yards/640 m) is in the Old Highway, which is off Rye Road. Walk down towards Rye House Station, then as above.

By bike

Rye Meads is accessible to cycles by road and the Lee Valley cycle way.

By road

From the A10: Exit the A10 for Hoddesdon/A1170 and follow the brown nature reserve signs over three roundabouts to Essex Road. Turn left onto Pindar Road (one way). Turn left onto Normandy way following the brown nature reserve sign, over the bridge, and left again onto Fisherman’s way. Turn right over the small bridge and past the pub. Rye Meads Visitor Centre car park is 500m along the road, on your left.

 

From the A414 (westbound): Exit the A414 for Stanstead Abbotts/B181. At the T-Junction turn left and then take the first right onto Rye Road. Rye Meads Visitor Centre car park is 1.2km along the road, on your right. Note that there is a part-time toll barrier on this road which may incur a 50p charge if the barrier is closed.

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
View on What3Words
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Information for dog owners

Sorry, dogs are not permitted on the nature reserve (except assistance dogs), due to the sensitive wildlife and habitats 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. Even if dogs are very well behaved, wildlife can easily become startled by a 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.

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

Thank you for protecting the special wildlife by not exercising your dog here.

Group booking information

We welcome group bookings. 

Schools booking information

For full details on our exciting programme of curriculum-linked outdoor education sessions, visit our school trips information. 

“Inspiring” and “multi-sensory” are just two of the words schools have used to describe their visit to Rye Meads.

The incredible wetland habitat provides the perfect backdrop to a memorable day of learning outside the classroom. Our close-up experiences allow exploration of habitats, minibeasts and adaptations in real life.

Our programs are adapted to cover the full range, from Early years, through primary and into Secondary and A-level. Full and half day options are available.

We also welcome bookings from uniformed and youth groups and can tailor your visit to suit your needs.

For further questions, or to book, email rye.meads@rspb.org.uk

Also, check out our fantastic range of resources for teachers, or take on the Schools’ Wild Challenge. 

Downloads

Helping you find your way around. PDF, 113Kb

Rye Meads trail guide

Contact Rye Meads

  • RSPB Rye Meads, Rye Rd, Hoddesdon, Hertfordshire SG12 8JS
  • rye.meads@rspb.org.uk
  • 01992 708383
  • @RSPBRyeMeads
  • Find us on facebook

Save nature with a staycation in the UK

Family arriving at a Travel Chapter cottage

Saving the nature that you love for future generations to enjoy. Make the most of your visit by staying in one of thousands of handpicked cottages across the UK. Simply book your stay here to support our partnership. Throughout 2021 holidaycottages.co.uk are supporting our conservation work – saving species and restoring habitats right across the UK at a time when the future of our planet has never been more important and protecting nature for future generations.

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What will you see?

Our star species

    Common tern

    Common tern

    Visit the Gadwall Hide to see common terns nesting on specially made rafts.

    Perched Kingfisher illustration

    Kingfisher

    Artificial sand banks have been created to attract nesting kingfishers.

    Gadwall male

    Gadwall

    This subtly plumaged dabbling duck occurs here in winter on open water.

    Male kestrel illustration

    Kestrel

    Kestrels nest in special boxes on the reserve.

    Green Sandpiper

    Green sandpiper

    The scrapes here attract green sandpipers in winter and in summer and early autumn.

Recent sightings

RSPB Rye Meads, family triathlon event, view from Draper hide

Find out about recent wildlife sightings at Rye Meads.

read more

Seasonal highlights

  • Spring
  • Summer
  • Autumn
  • Winter

Spring brings finches, tits, woodpeckers. There are plenty of wildfowl, such as gadwalls and shovelers, on the open water, along with little grebes.

In summer, the reserve is home to reed buntings singing from perches and cuckoos calling their name while hobbies hawk over the scrape. The lagoons provide feeding grounds for wildfowl broods such as tufted ducks and gadwalls. Warblers, common terns and kingfishers also make an appearance.

In autumn, waders including green sandpipers, snipe and lapwings can be seen on the scrapes. When evening draws in, starlings, buntings, and finches flock together, swirling over the reedbeds ready to roost in safety and warmth.

During the winter sightings of water rail and water fowl add to this wonderful sight. The elusive bittern lurking in the reeds could add to this winter picture at any time by providing a glimpse as it moves silently through the reedbed.

About Rye Meads

Habitat

Head out on our trails around swaying reedbeds, open water and shallow pools, known as scrapes. Artificial sandbanks are a good place to spot kingfishers, while specially built rafts are where the common terns choose to nest in summer.

Conservation

We look after the different habitats in ways to make sure they are the perfect conditions for wildlife.

Our open water is cared for with wildfowl in mind, while the scrapes and muddy edges are kept in ideal condition for waders.

The artificial sand banks are a nesting site for kingfishers and the rafts provide a spot for common terns to breed.

The reedbeds are managed for the benefit of breeding waders and wintering bitterns. The beds are also being expanded with the hope bitterns will soon return to breed.

Site information

The reserve is made up of 58.5 hectares of protected wetlands on the bank of the River Lee.
It has been designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) as well as being part of the Lea Valley RAMSAR site. For more about these designations, head here.

Latest blog posts

  • Mid-June Sightings Blog - Mel's Mutterings & Visitor Photos

    Strangely mixed weather on the reserve over the last few weeks, but summer is very much here now – between myself and our volunteers we could definitely have a good ‘Knobbliest Knees’ competition. Over at the Kingfisher Hide we finally have signs of ...

    Posted 12/06/2022 by Matt Bartlett
  • End of May Sightings Blog - Mel's Mutterings & Visitor Photos

    In the last full week of May there’s been plenty happening! Our first Kingfisher brood of the year fledged on Monday with four youngsters finally leaving the nest. One was very reluctant but they’re now all away, and there’s signs of prep for the sec...

    Posted 29/05/2022 by Matt Bartlett
  • Mid-May Sightings Blog - Mel's Mutterings & Visitor Photos

    Approaching May Half Term we’ve had some very warm weather, but as I write this it’s hammering down with rain! That combo over the last few weeks has brought out some serious greenery, and plenty of butterflies, dragonflies and damselflies to go with...

    Posted 20/05/2022 by Matt Bartlett
  • Mel's Mutterings - End of April Sightings Blog

    The other side of Easter has seen a mixture of warm and still, and cool and windy - fortunately we've begun to see plenty of Year Firsts, including Reed Warblers and the unmistakable sounds of Cuckoos. We've also had a pair of very confident Kestrels...

    Posted 28/04/2022 by Matt Bartlett
read our blog

What people are saying about Rye Meads

What a fantastic place! We were lucky enough to witness a kingfisher flying to and from the nest in the artificial sand bank - obviously feeding newly-hatched chicks. Another highlight for me was watching a water vole happily foraging about in the water. A truly amazing day out - we will definitely be returning for further visits!

Nicola

First time to Rye Meads and what a WONDERFUL day out! Watching birds here and there, with friendly staff and people who can tell you alot! We were even lucky enough to catch a glimpse of a KINGFISHER!!! Beautiful colours! A really great place to go, off again next week! It was beautiful!

Alex Blackman

I loved Rye Meads the first time I visited. Since then, a super new visitor centre with toilets and picnic tables has been built, and everyone is really friendly. It's a great place for all the family; it’s a lovely place to have a walk and enjoy wildlife, great for everyone - I enjoyed visiting so much I began volunteering!

Marion Moss

Activities and events

Activities for children and families

Hides provide excellent views of birds that can be seen by eye, enabling children to see wildlife. Special Explorer Backpacks are available for hire during your visit and there is a comprehensive programme of events, including nature trails, guided walks and family fun days.

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

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