Rainham Marshes a Special Place for Nature
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chalky conditions. chalky the amazing range of wildlife that thrives in in thrives that wildlife of range amazing the discover to place brilliant a is quarry former This essexwt.org.uk/reserves/chafford-gorges Tel: 01375 484016 (10 miles) miles) (10 484016 01375 Tel: Thurrock RM16 6RG 6RG RM16 Thurrock Chafford Gorges Nature Park, Grays Grays Park, Nature Gorges Chafford reserve and stock up in the shop. shop. the in up stock and reserve our café, wander the trails around our nature nature our around trails the wander café, our mammals. Go and discover the fabulous wildlife. fabulous the discover and Go mammals. from our visitor centre, enjoy some hot food in in food hot some enjoy centre, visitor our from teeming with waders, ducks, minibeasts and and minibeasts ducks, waders, with teeming Now you too can enjoy the amazing views views amazing the enjoy can too you Now South Essex has a collection of nature reserves reserves nature of collection a has Essex South (16 miles) rspb.org.uk/southessex miles) (16 from development. from Tel: 01268 498620 01268 Tel: 4UH SS16 Essex Basildon, for nearly 100 years and inadvertently saved it it saved inadvertently and years 100 nearly for Visitor Centre, Wat Tyler Country Park, Park, Country Tyler Wat Centre, Visitor salty Thames. The Ministry of Defence used it it used Defence of Ministry The Thames. salty RSPB South Essex Wildlife Garden and and Garden Wildlife Essex South RSPB marsh since its original reclamation from the the from reclamation original its since marsh freshwater medieval this on changed has Little attractions: local Other In this area… this In year, from all over the world. the over all from year, they navigate along the Thames Estuary each each Estuary Thames the along navigate they stop over for thousands of migratory birds, as as birds, migratory of thousands for over stop marshland inside the M25. It is an international international an is It M25. the inside marshland rspb.org.uk/rainham London. It is the last stretch of ancient riverside riverside ancient of stretch last the is It London. Thames Estuary, sits on the urban fringe of of fringe urban the on sits Estuary, Thames reserve team or visit visit or team reserve Rainham Marshes, part of the landscape of the the of landscape the of part Marshes, Rainham group visits, ask a member of the the of member a ask visits, group about all our events, activities and and activities events, our all about some fresh air in your lungs. lungs. your in air fresh some For dates, prices and full details details full and prices dates, For the city behind for a day and get get and day a for behind city the You don’t have to go far to leave leave to far go to have don’t You more. and hunting minibeast dipping, pond on your own, or we can lead guided walks, go go walks, guided lead can we or own, your on Leo, a visitor to Rainham to visitor a Leo, We welcome groups of all ages. You can explore explore can You ages. all of groups welcome We Welcome Group visits Group recommended. sheets all year round. year all sheets was beautiful. Highly Highly beautiful. was activity borrow can You hunting. minibeast and the landscape landscape the and school holidays, such as pond dipping and and dipping pond as such holidays, school We run lots of family activities during the the during activities family of lots run We 39 different species) different 39 Family activities Family birds were brilliant (I saw saw (I brilliant were birds events. our of one joining by Marshes Rainham The food was lovely, the the lovely, was food The Discover more about the amazing wildlife at at wildlife amazing the about more Discover Events amazing. It’s Wow! Take part with us with part Take Mark Sisson (rspb-images.com) Top things to do How to get here Spring/summer Nearest town: Purfleet By train: the nearest station is Purfleet on the A busy time for nature and a c2c line from Fenchurch Street. From there, the great time for you to explore. reserve is a 15-minute walk along the riverside path, following the brown pedestrian signs. 1 Enjoy the spectacle of tumbling and calling By bus: the Ensignbus 44 between Lakeside and lapwings and redshanks displaying over Orsett Hospital, Grays, stops near the reserve the marsh. Rainham entrance on New Tank Hill Road. 2 Watch colourful dragonflies and damselflies By bike: follow the National Cycle Network skim over the pools, while butterflies and route 13. We have plenty of bike racks. bees dance around the flowers by the path. Marshes By car: off New Tank Hill Road (A1090) in Purfleet, nature reserve 3 Play in our fabulous adventure playground which is just off the A1306 between Rainham – great for the young and young at heart! and Lakeside. The A1306 is accessible from the Aveley, Wennington and Purfleet junction of the 4 Stop and listen – you may see or hear one A13 and J30/31 of the M25. of our water voles munching on plants in one of the ditches. Opening times Visitor centre and reserve, 1 November to 5 Hear the amazing cacophony of croaking 31 January: 9.30 am–4.30 pm. 1 February to marsh frogs, day and night. 31 October: 9.30 am–5 pm. Closed Christmas Day and Boxing Day. Admission charges Autumn/winter Car park: voluntary £1 donation. The reserve is Five things not to miss free for RSPB members and residents of Havering and Thurrock. There is a charge for non-members: during the chillier months. £6 adult, £3 child, £4 student. 1 See swirling flocks of lapwings and golden plovers shimmering in the winter sky. RSPB Rainham Marshes New Tank Hill Road, Purfleet, Essex, RM19 1SZ Big views, a big sky and 2 Wrap up warm and blow the cobwebs away Tel: 01708 899840 with a bracing walk along the river. E-mail: [email protected] wonderful wildlife rspb.org.uk/rainham If you’re still and quiet you might see a flash 3 The RSPB is the country’s largest nature conservation of blue as a kingfisher whizzes by. charity, inspiring everyone to give nature a home. 4 In winter, watch for peregrines diving steeply We are very grateful to all the kind funders that help A welcoming Buggy, Enjoy the as they try to catch wading birds and ducks. keep Rainham Marshes a special place for nature. wilderness wheelchair views The RSPB is a registered charity in England & Wales 207076, 5 Warm up with a cuppa and a piece of in Scotland SC037654. Front cover: Rainham reserve centre by that’s full of and toddler with coffee home-made cake in our café. David Norton (rspb-images.com) 860-1810-17-18 wildlife accessible and cake Howard Vaughan Howard 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 Barry Jackson area, and back to the visitor up by the River Thames. 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 Mardyke 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.