wildlife accessible and cake and home-made cake in our café. our in cake home-made

860-1810-17-18 (rspb-images.com) Norton David

5 by centre reserve Rainham cover: Front SC037654. Scotland in

that’s full of of full that’s of piece a and cuppa a with up Warm and toddler toddler and with coffee coffee with

207076, Wales & in charity registered a is RSPB The

wilderness wilderness wheelchair wheelchair views

keep Rainham Marshes a special place for nature. for place special a Marshes Rainham keep as they try to catch wading birds and ducks. and birds wading catch to try they as

A welcoming welcoming A Buggy, Buggy, Enjoy the the Enjoy

4 We are very grateful to all the kind funders that help help that funders kind the all to grateful very are We steeply diving peregrines for watch winter, In

charity, inspiring everyone to give nature a home. home. a nature give to everyone inspiring charity,

of blue as a kingfisher whizzes by. whizzes kingfisher a as blue of

The RSPB is the country’s largest nature conservation conservation nature largest country’s the is RSPB The

3

If you’re still and quiet you might see a flash flash a see might you quiet and still you’re If

rspb.org.uk/rainham

wonderful wildlife wonderful with a bracing walk along the river. the along walk bracing a with E-mail: [email protected] E-mail:

2

Wrap up warm and blow the cobwebs away away cobwebs the blow and warm up Wrap Tel: 01708 899840 01708 Tel:

Big views, a big sky and and sky big a views, Big

New Tank Hill Road, , , RM19 1SZ RM19 Essex, Purfleet, Road, Hill Tank New

plovers shimmering in the winter sky. winter the in shimmering plovers RSPB Rainham Marshes Rainham RSPB

1 See swirling flocks of lapwings and golden golden and lapwings of flocks swirling See

£6 adult, £3 child, £4 student. student. £4 child, £3 adult, £6

during the chillier months. chillier the during

and . There is a charge for non-members: non-members: for charge a is There Thurrock. and

miss to not things Five

free for RSPB members and residents of Havering Havering of residents and members RSPB for free

is reserve The donation. £1 voluntary park: Car

Autumn/winter

Admission charges Admission

and Boxing Day. Day. Boxing and

Day Christmas Closed pm. am–5 9.30 October: 31 marsh frogs, day and night. and day frogs, marsh

31 January: 9.30 am–4.30 pm. 1 February to to February 1 pm. am–4.30 9.30 January: 31 5

Hear the amazing cacophony of croaking croaking of cacophony amazing the Hear

to November 1 reserve, and centre Visitor

Opening times Opening one of the ditches. the of one

of our water voles munching on plants in in plants on munching voles water our of

A13 and J30/31 of the M25. the of J30/31 and A13 4 Stop and listen – you may see or hear one one hear or see may you – listen and Stop

Aveley, Wennington and Purfleet junction of the the of junction Purfleet and Wennington ,

– great for the young and young at heart! at young and young the for great – and Lakeside. The A1306 is accessible from the the from accessible is A1306 The Lakeside. and

3

playground adventure fabulous our in Play which is just off the A1306 between Rainham Rainham between A1306 the off just is which

nature reserve nature

off New Tank Hill Road (A1090) in Purfleet, Purfleet, in (A1090) Road Hill Tank New off car: By

Marshes path. the by flowers the around dance bees

route 13. We have plenty of bike racks. bike of plenty have We 13. route skim over the pools, while butterflies and and butterflies while pools, the over skim

2 Network Cycle National the follow bike: By

Watch colourful dragonflies and damselflies damselflies and dragonflies colourful Watch

entrance on New Tank Hill Road. Road. Hill Tank New on entrance Rainham Rainham marsh. the

Orsett Hospital, Grays, stops near the reserve reserve the near stops Grays, Hospital, over displaying redshanks and lapwings

the 44 between Lakeside and and Lakeside between 44 Ensignbus the bus: By 1 Enjoy the spectacle of tumbling and calling calling and tumbling of spectacle the Enjoy

path, following the brown pedestrian signs. pedestrian brown the following path,

great time for you to explore. to you for time great

reserve is a 15-minute walk along the riverside riverside the along walk 15-minute a is reserve

a and nature for time busy A line from Fenchurch Street. From there, the the there, From Street. Fenchurch from line c2c

the nearest station is Purfleet on the the on Purfleet is station nearest the train: By

Spring/summer

Nearest town: Purfleet Purfleet town: Nearest

How to get here get to How do to things Top Mark Sisson(rspb-images.com) Take part with us Wow! It’s amazing. Events The food was lovely, the Discover more about the amazing wildlife at Rainham Marshes by joining one of our events. birds were brilliant (I saw Family activities 39 different species) We run lots of family activities during the and the landscape school holidays, such as pond dipping and minibeast hunting. You can borrow activity was beautiful. Highly sheets all year round.

recommended. Group visits Welcome Leo, a visitor to Rainham We welcome groups of all ages. You can explore on your own, or we can lead guided walks, go You don’t have to go far to leave pond dipping, minibeast hunting and more. the city behind for a day and get For dates, prices and full details some fresh air in your lungs. about all our events, activities and Rainham Marshes, part of the landscape of the group visits, ask a member of the Thames Estuary, sits on the urban fringe of reserve team or visit London. It is the last stretch of ancient riverside rspb.org.uk/rainham marshland inside the M25. It is an international stop over for thousands of migratory birds, as they navigate along the Thames Estuary each year, from all over the world. In this area…

Little has changed on this medieval freshwater Other local attractions: marsh since its original reclamation from the salty Thames. The Ministry of Defence used it RSPB South Essex Wildlife Garden and for nearly 100 years and inadvertently saved it Visitor Centre, Wat Tyler Country Park, from development. , Essex SS16 4UH Tel: 01268 498620 (16 miles) rspb.org.uk/southessex Now you too can enjoy the amazing views South Essex has a collection of nature reserves from our visitor centre, enjoy some hot food in teeming with waders, ducks, minibeasts and our café, wander the trails around our nature mammals. Go and discover the fabulous wildlife. reserve and stock up in the shop. Chafford Gorges Nature Park, Grays Thurrock RM16 6RG Tel: 01375 484016 (10 miles) essexwt.org.uk/reserves/chafford-gorges This former quarry is a brilliant place to discover the amazing range of wildlife that thrives in chalky conditions. Howard Vaughan Rainham Finding your way around

Circular route Woodland Riverside If you have a couple of hours, our 2.4-mile (3.8-km) circular walk walk walk A wasp spider weaving. will take you around the reserve This half-mile (0.8-km) trail will A 1.5-mile (2.4-km) walk starting passing hides and lots of wildlife. take you through the woodland at the visitor centre and ending JacksonBarry area, and back to the visitor up by the . Make This is a lovely walk through the centre. Allow yourself at least sure you allow yourself an hour. reserve that gets you close half an hour. to the birds, mammals, minibeasts There is a brilliant view over the and plants that the reserve has Keep an eye on the trees; they’re River Thames on this walk and you to offer. great places to spot birds such as should also see lots of wildlife. blackcaps and kestrels. Stop at the hides and viewing places All routes are suitable for along the way and keep a lookout The old cordite store has become pushchairs and wheelchairs. for lapwings, lots of different types a haven for minibeasts, such as The good paths and boardwalks of ducks as well as water voles, butterflies, shield bugs and mean the reserve is a good place bearded tits, and dragonflies and spiders, but is also good for birds to walk at all times of year. butterflies in summer. – what will you see? Listen for a lapwing calling “peewit”.

c2c and Eurostar lines

Ken Barrett hide

Northern boardwalk Woodland Discovery Zone

In late summer, look closely in the grass In autumn and by the Circular route winter, check the Aveley for the stunning channels through pools striped wasp spider. Shooting the reedbeds for butts hide elusive water rails.

Cordite store Butts scrape Throughout the Target year, listen for the pools explosive call of Cetti’s warblers along the Woodland walk.

Look for breeding wading birds, such as lapwings and their cute chicks, in spring and early summer. Purfleet scrape Reedbed Discovery Zone

Purfleet hide Wildlife garden

Listen closely for munching coming from the reeds on the Circular route – it Veolia Shooting butts might be a water vole! Giant play bridge anthill Marshland Discovery Dragonfly pool Zone and hide

rs lke wa og d d an Turnstile exit only lists cyc Southend ans, estri Enjoy the ped am to P /7 to hames panoramic view ainh urflee en 24 er T Map © Crown copyright. All rights reserved. licence 100021787. RSPB copyright. Map © Crown R t permissive riverside path – op Riv from the Riverside WW1 gunning placement walk, over the London River Thames and the reserve. Landfill site Key Aveley Bay Water Parking The four hides and viewing platforms have flat entry or adapted entrances so everyone can get Saltmarsh Toilets the same views.

Marsh Visitor centre For more information about the accessibility of RSPB Rainham, please visit rspb.org.uk/rainham

Woodland Picnic area To avoid disturbing wildlife, we only allow dogs E along the permissive riverside path section of the N Reedbed Adventure play area reserve, except for registered assistance dogs.

Grassland Viewing platform We can loan you a mobility scooter or wheelchair. Please ask for details. W S Family friendly southern trail