Snettisham

Address: RSPB Snettisham, Beach Rd, Snettisham, King's Lynn PE31 7RA

Grid ref: TF650328

What3Words: unfounded.domain.pianists

Wildlife observation hides give panoramic views across the saline lagoons, salt marsh and the vast expanse of mudflats that make up The Wash.

On the biggest high tides from late summer onwards, tens of thousands of wading birds take flight as the incoming tide pushes them off the vast mudflats. We call this the 'whirling wader spectacle', a special event which doesn't happen everyday. Before travelling to the reserve to see this spectacle, we'd highly recommend you check our Snettisham Spectaculars Dates and Times Guide found in the downloads section below.

Plan your visit

Nature reserve: open at all times.
Car park: open at all times.
See parking information in the facilities section for details of height restrictions.

Free entrance to RSPB members: Yes

Adults: Free, but donations are very welcome.

Children: Free, but donations are very welcome.

Car park cost: £3 per car (Members park for free: please leave your membership cards on your dashboard).

Facilities

Car park
Guided walks
Viewing point
Nature trails

Accessibility

Full accessibility information (external website)

How to get here

By train

The nearest station is Kings Lynn (approx 12 miles).

By bus

The nearest bus stop is 2 miles (3.2 km) away. There is a regular service from King's Lynn.

By road

The reserve is clearly signposted down Beach Road from the A149 Snettisham and Dersingham bypass. Continue down Beach Road for about 1.5 miles (2.4 km), the car park is on your left.

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.

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Please keep your dog on a lead at all times, 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 so we have dog-friendly routes for you and your pooch to enjoy. Even if dogs are very well behaved, wildlife and livestock can easily become startled by a loose dog they perceive as a predator.

Thank you for protecting the special wildlife here by keeping your dog on a lead, under close, effective control, and staying in the permitted areas.

Groups are welcome by prior arrangement. Please contact Titchwell Reserve on 01485 210779 prior to your visit.

Due to Covid-19 measures, we are not currently taking school bookings until autumn 2021.

To help you go wild at school, check out our fantastic range of resources for teachers here, or take on the Schools’ Wild Challenge here.

Downloads

Helping you find your way around. PDF, 75Kb

Snettisham trail guide

Snettisham Spectaculars 2021

Snettisham Spectaculars 2022

Contact Snettisham

RSPB Snettisham, Beach Rd, Snettisham, King's Lynn PE31 7RA
snettisham@rspb.org.uk
01485 210779
@RSPBNorfolkLinc
Find us on facebook

What will you see?

Our star species

Avocet

Normally present on the reserve from March to August.

Bar-tailed godwit

The Wash holds internationally important numbers of bar-tailed godwits in winter.

Knot

As high tides come in, the 'clouds' of tens of thousands of knots shimmer over the mudflats. We call this the 'whirling wader spectacle', a special event which doesn't happen everyday. Before travelling to the reserve to see this spectacle, we'd highly recommend you check our Snettisham Spectaculars Dates and Times Guide found in the downloads section.

Pink-footed goose

Thousands of pink-footed geese assemble here from mid-October to February. At sunrise, you can witness the geese leaving their roost in extraordinarily large flocks. The moon phase affects the movements of geese, which can be erratic and unpredictable five days either side of a full moon. Check our Snettisham Spectaculars Dates and Times Guide found in the downloads section for the best times to see them.

Shelduck

You can see shelducks dabbling for food on the mudflats at any time of year.

Nature spectacles

From late summer to early winter tens of thousands of wading birds gather on the mudflats where they roost overnight. During an incoming tide, these birds are pushed closer to the beach and on a high spring tide vast flocks of knot, dunlin and oystercatchers take to the air en masse as the high tides cover the mudflats. The commotion of thousands of wingbeats, excited calls and swirling flocks creates an exhilarating nature spectacle.

During winter months up to 40,000 pink-footed geese make their way from Iceland and Greenland to gather on the The Wash. At first light they take flight in close V-shaped formations of trailing skeins across the pale sky of a Norfolk dawn. The high-pitched 'wink-wink' sound of geese calling to each other resonates across the seascape then slowly diffuses as they head inland to find food for the day.

Both of these spectacles do not occur every day and are instead entirely dependent on the tide or moon movements. To avoid disappointment, we’d strongly urge anyone looking to see this spectacle with their own eyes to check our Snettisham Spectaculars Dates and Times Guide (in the downloads section above) for the best times to view the high tide roost and pink footed geese, especially before travelling.

In spring, black-headed gulls and avocets take up residence on the islands. Wading birds in their colourful breeding plumage pass through on their way to the Arctic. Barn owls can been seen at dawn and dusk hunting over the saltmarsh.

In summer, yellow-horned poppies and viper's bugloss flower on the shingle whilst on the islands, common terns are at the height of their breeding activity. Later in the summer, flocks of knots wheel in vast numbers at sunset.

Autumn sees thousands of thrushes and finches migrate overhead. Wigeon and brent geese start to arrive back from breeding grounds, calling noisily to each other.

In winter, huge numbers of waterfowl gather on the lagoons and out in The Wash, while peregrines and hen harriers actively hunt on the saltmarsh. Goldeneyes also gather on the lagoons and begin displaying in preparation for the coming spring.

About Snettisham

Habitat

The reserve consists of a variety of coastal habitats including lagoons, tidal mudflats, shingle beach and saltmarsh. These habitats form part of the wider Wash which is an internationally important area providing refuge for vast numbers of wildfowl and wading birds.

Conservation

During summer months, most of the saltmarsh is cattle grazed to benefit breeding redshank which prefer a variation of shorter grass mixed with tussocks.
Water levels on the lagoons are managed to maintain the island habitats which provide safe areas for roosting waders and breeding birds.
Management of vegetative shingle along the banks of the lagoons ensures suitable roosting areas for wading birds.
During breeding season, common tern nests which are difficult to see and easily trampled are protected from disturbance by temporary signage and cordons.
Rare red-hemp nettle grows sporadically on areas of bare shingle which is carefully managed to ensure survival of this protected plant (Snettisham is the only site in Norfolk where this plant thrives).

Site information

Snettisham has three wildlife observation hides (two are all-weather and wheelchair friendly), all offering views across the lagoons and one has dual aspect views across lagoons and The Wash.

For reasons of crop protection, there will be times between 1 September and 31 January when our neighbours will be conducting a licenced shoot of feral greylag geese on adjacent land to the east of Snettisham nature reserve. If you have any queries, please phone our reserve team on 01485 211975 or 211970.

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Activities and events

Leisure activities

Snettisham has three walking trails including a circular 2km trail that takes in aspects of the saltmarsh, saline lagoons and the vast mudflats of The Wash. These trails are popular with walkers and joggers. Cyclists can access parts of the trail leading from the beach to the Wader Watch point which affords unparalleled views across the Wash and surrounding landscapes.

Boating activities take place on one of the pits (visitors will need to contact Snettisham Beach Sailing Club directly).

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

Snettisham