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Snettisham

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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

Opening times

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

Entrance charges

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.

Get directions from Google Maps
View on What3Words
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Information for dog owners

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.

Group booking information

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

Schools booking information

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

    Wading Avocet Illustration

    Avocet

    Normally present on the reserve from March to August.

    Bar-tailed godwit, summer plumage

    Bar-tailed godwit

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

    Knot, summer plumage

    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

    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 illustration

    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. 

Seasonal highlights

  • Spring
  • Summer
  • Autumn
  • Winter

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.

Latest blog posts

  • Titchwell sightings - a July summary

    It has been a while since we have updated you on what has been seen at Titchwell, so here is a roundup of July. Car park / visitor centre / east trail At the start of July a crossbill flew west over the reserve and 3 coal tits were on the feeders. A ...

    Posted 04/08/2022 by Lizzie Bruce
  • Plovers in Peril: A summer of plovers!

    Summer holidays are finally here! That means more time with family and friends and long days at our favourite beach splashing about in the sea, getting sand between our toes and finding new places to explore! But did you know - we aren’t the only one...

    Posted 27/07/2022 by RSPB NWNorfolk
  • Plovers in Peril: An update following the devastating coastal park fires at Wild Ken Hill

    People are often surprised to learn that ringed plover and oystercatcher nest on the beach and not in the vegetation of the dunes and scrub behind. At times like these we are incredibly grateful that they do as the nests for these birds were just out...

    Posted 21/07/2022 by RSPB NWNorfolk
  • Recent sightings - 23/6/2022

    There has been plenty on offer at Titchwell over the past couple of weeks from firsts and seconds for the reserves and the continuing baby boom. Reedbed The star bird in the reebed has been the bitterns, with the female putting on a quite a show this...

    Posted 23/06/2022 by Lizzie Bruce
read our blog

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

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