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Orford Ness National Nature Reserve
Internationally important coastal nature reserve, with a fascinating 20th-century military history
Quay Street, Orford, Suffolk, IP12 2NU
Important notice
Orford Ness is now closed for visits for the winter and will reopen on Friday 29 March 2024. Details of our open days for 2024 are listed in the calendar below.
Opening times for 7 December 2023
Asset Opening time Nature reserve Closed MTWTFSS2728293012345678910111213141516171819202122232425262728293031OpenPartially openClosedNT Member
Ticket type Gift aid Standard Adult £4.50 Child £2.25 Family £11.25 1 adult and up to 3 children £6.75 NT Non-Member
Ticket type Gift aid Standard Adult £12.00 Child £6.00 Family £30.00 1 adult and up to 3 children £18.00 Become a member and discover more than 500 places
Assistance dogs only
Due to ground nesting birds only Assistance dogs are allowed
Guided tour
Regular guided tours covering different aspects of the site are available. Check our events section for details of booking.
Book shop
Our second hand bookshop in Basecamp supports our work on Orford Ness.
Toilet
Toilets are available on the Red Route opposite the Ranger Office and an accessible toilet is available within the Ranger Office.
Car park
Riverside Car Park (not National Trust) on Quay Street, 150 yards from Orford Quay. Pay and display - charge even for National Trust Members.
Access via ferry and steep, sometimes slippery, steps. Accessible toilet available, assistance dogs only.
Accessible route and/or map
Once on Orford Ness the main routes are flat.
Powered mobility vehicle available
Two manual wheelchairs, a six seater electric vehicle (driven by staff or volunteers) and a self-drive Tramper mobility scooter. Available on a first come, first served basis. Free to use but donations welcome towards their upkeep. Advanced booking essential, please call 01394 450900.
Accessible toilet
Toilets are available on the Red Route opposite the Ranger Office and an accessible toilet is available within the Ranger Office.
Seating available
There are a number of benches on site and seating in some of our buildings.
Drop-off point
While there is no parking on Orford Quay itself, visitors can be dropped off Quayside before the car returns to the main Riverside car park.
Steps/uneven terrain
Crossing to Orford Ness involves a river crossing on our ferry. To board the ferry you will need to negotiate a number of steps which may be slippery due to the tide.
Induction loop
Our Quay Office has an induction loop installed and there is a portable induction loop available on request for other buildings.
Wheelchairs available
Two manual wheelchairs, a six seater electric vehicle (driven by staff or volunteers) and a self-drive Tramper mobility scooter. Available on a first come, first served basis. Free to use but donations welcome towards their upkeep. Advanced booking essential, please call 01394 450900.
Level access/terrain
Apart from the river crossing, which requires negotiating steps, the majority of Orford Ness is level access. Two buildings have upper floors with stair access only but other buildings are ground level only.
By road
Orford 10 miles east of A12 (B1094/B1095), 12 miles north-east of Woodbridge (B1152/B1084)
Parking: Riverside Car Park (not National Trust) on Quay Street, 150 yards from Orford Quay. Pay and display. Payment machines take cards and cash.
Sat Nav: Use IP12 2NU
On foot
Suffolk Coast Path and Sandlings Walk pass nearby on mainland. Please note the only access to Orford Ness is via the National Trust ferry from Orford Quay, there is no pedestrian access allowed from Slaughden.
By train
The nearest station is Wickham Market (8 miles), but this is a rural stop with very limited onward connection. Melton or Woodbridge stations will provide more access to taxi services, though these should be booked in advance.
By bus
There are no regular bus services to Orford within our opening times. For information on travel options visit https://www.suffolkonboard.com
By bicycle
Regional Route 41, 1 mile (1.6km). No cycling onsite. Cycle parking in Quay Street car park (not NT)
By ferry
Only access to Ness via National Trust ferry Octavia. See opening arrangements
Planning your visit
Article
Booking your visit to Orford Ness
Orford Ness re-opens for the 2024 season on 29 March. Please check this page nearer the time for information on how to book a place before visiting and what to expect on your visit.
Check out our events at Orford Ness
See what events we have coming up at Orford Ness, from photography tours to Yoga retreats, each offering a chance to get to know this intriguing site better.
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Group visits to Orford Ness
Discover the ways you can explore Orford Ness National Nature Reserve as a group, from guided walking tours to special interest visits, plus information about how to book.
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Highlights
National Trust Ferry Octavia
Start your visit on board as we ferry you across the River Ore via our ferry Octavia. Keep an eye out for wildlife including occasional harbour porpoises and seals. Don't forget to book your ticket in advance, space is limited.
National Nature Reserve
Three walking trails (two open only seasonally) take you through coastal grazing marshes and out to the vegetated shingle. Home to numerous wetland and wading birds, Chinese water deer, hares and our rare breed flock of sheep.
Atomic Weapons Research Establishment Site
One of the few sites in the UK with purpose-built facilities for the testing of components of nuclear weapons. Comprising of six 'labs', these buildings now form impressive backdrops on the shingle. Only Lab 1 is open to the public, the remainder have exterior access only on guided tours.
Vegetated shingle
International rare and delicate landscape, consisting of shingle ridges and valleys, deposited over centuries by the sea. 20% of Europe's vegetated shingle is found on Orford Ness. Incredibly fragile, one single misplaced footstep can destroy structures that have taken centuries to form.
Airfield Marshes
What was once a former World War One and World War Two Airfield, is now a rich grazing marsh, providing home to birds, deer and our flock of rare-breed sheep.
Radar Receiver Building
First World War building, adapted in the 1930s, for early work on Radar is now home to the Island of Secrets exhibition. The exhibition tells the story of 80 years of top secret research on 'the island'.
Bomb Ballistics Building
Built in 1933 as the centre of an experimental bombing range. The roof now provides a panoramic viewing platform giving stunning views across the entire site.
Black Beacon
An unusual building, erected in 1928 to house an experimental rotating-loop navigation beacon. Now home to exhibition and views across the vegetated shingle.
Spotlight events
Photography Tours
See Orford Ness through the eye of your camera with guidance from a professional photographer. An opportunity to access the AWRE site to capture some amazing images.
Island of Secrets Walks
Known locally as the 'Island of Secrets', Orford Ness was a top-secret military test site for 80 years, from the First World War through to the Cold War. In the 1950s the Atomic Weapons Research Establishment (AWRE) began work on site and their buildings remain some of the most iconic features on Orford Ness. Many of these buildings are situated in areas not normally open to the public, but our new Island of Secrets walk takes you close to these fascinating buildings. Join our tour guide on a 2 hour guided walk into the heart of the AWRE area, including the iconic 'Pagodas'. Learn about the history of these fascinating buildings. Access to the interior of the buildings is no longer possible but we will go as close as safely possible to the exteriors.
Things to see and do
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Explore Orford Ness National Nature Reserve
Orford Ness has created over 10 miles of coastline and over 2,000 acres of land. Visit the rich and varied habitats on this internationally significant nature reserve.
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Structures and buildings at Orford Ness
Find out what you'll discover inside the many fascinating military buildings you'll see as you walk through Orford Ness.
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Our work at Orford Ness
From honouring the people who worked here to maintaining a flock of grazing sheep, discover what goes on behind the scenes to preserve Orford Ness for visitors and wildlife alike.
Top trails
Trail Routes
Detailed trails will be coming to the website very soon. Until then, please speak to the team when you visit, who'll be able to share the routes available.
About Orford Ness National Nature Reserve
Take a short boat trip to this wild and remote shingle spit, the largest in Europe.
Follow walking trails through a stunning landscape and a history that will both delight and intrigue.
Discover an internationally important nature reserve littered with debris and unusual, often forbidding, buildings from a sometimes disturbing past.
Please note: Access is only via the National Trust ferry Octavia from Orford Ness. There is no access on foot or by vehicle via Slaughden. There is a charge for ferry to Orford Ness (including members). Tickets are limited and must be booked in advance. No bikes or dogs (assistance dogs welcome) allowed.
History
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History of Orford Ness
From a military testing site to an internationally significant nature reserve, discover the history of Orford Ness from the 16th century to the present day.
Our work
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Our work at Orford Ness
From honouring the people who worked here to maintaining a flock of grazing sheep, discover what goes on behind the scenes to preserve Orford Ness for visitors and wildlife alike.
Support us
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Volunteer opportunities at Orford Ness
If you have some time to spare and want to help us to keep Orford Ness safe and secure for visitors and wildlife, why not join us as a volunteer? Find out how you can join the team.