Activities at Orford Ness National Nature Reserve
Walk the trails on Orford Ness
Take waymarked trails through the unusual landscape. Follow your interests. Military history or nature. The choice varies with the seasons.
What to expect in 2020
We are closed now until Easter 2020. For information on opening times and what to expect in the coming year ......
Structures you will pass on your walk
Visit some of the intriguing buildings you will pass on your walk and view displays about the history and ecology of the site. Use some as an elevated viewing platform.
Escorted visits to Orford Ness
Share this unique location with others and enjoy a guided group visit. You’ll all appreciate discovering the island's many secrets as your ranger guide shows you around the landscape and buildings including the pagodas.
Stony Ditch - salt-marsh and mud-flats on Orford Ness
Stony Ditch is the tidal creek on Orford Ness which contains salt-marsh and mud-flat habitats. The mud-flats provide food with each tide for the many waders and wildfowl.
Reed Marshes on Orford Ness
Reed marshes are a rare habitat in the UK and many species of conservation concern depend fully or partly on these reed-beds.
The brackish lagoons of Kings Marsh on Orford Ness
The brackish lagoons of Kings Marsh play a key role in the ecological significance of the site; the fluctuating salinity levels enables the area to support significant plants and animals.
Coastal vegetated shingle and shingle heath on Orford Ness
Orford Ness is the largest vegetated shingle spit in Europe, and therefore is a very important habitat nationally and globally. These habitats are extremely unstable and fragile environments.
Grazing marsh on Orford Ness
The grazing marshes on Orford Ness were probably reclaimed from saltmarsh under royal patronage in the 13th century, and remained important to the local economy until recently.
Management of the marshes on Orford Ness
Maintenance of the marshes requires careful management of water levels and maintenance of river walls to keep out the tidal salt water. At the far northern end of the site (Lantern Marsh), tidal water has been allowed into the marsh to recreate salt-marsh habitat that is otherwise being lost in the estuary.