Lackford Lakes Nature Reserve
Location
Know before you go
Dogs
Other dogs on a lead permitted on red trail only.
When to visit
Opening times
Reserve and car park open daily 8am to 5pm weekdays, 9am to 5pm weekends.Toilets open 10am to 5pm
Catering open 10am to 4pm
The shop is open from 10am to 5pm
Best time to visit
All year roundAbout the reserve
Listen to the sound of singing birds in spring with the arrival of nightingales and warblers from Africa. The first bees and butterflies start to make appearances on bright spring days.
Later in summer, the reserve is alive with damselflies and dragonflies. Swallows and martins sweep over the water's surface feeding on small flies. The lakesides are busy with nesting great-crested grebe, kingfisher, tufted duck and water rail. Bright stems of purple-loosestrife, common fleabane and gipsywort create colour at the water's edge.
Gold and red colours mark the coming of autumn with the arrival of a wide range of wildfowl. Birds including shoveler, lapwing, goosander, bittern and goldeneye depend on the lakes during the winter months.
The visitor centre, shop and café are open 7 days a week. There's always someone in the centre to help you plan your visit, identify anything you've spotted or chat to you about the work we do and how you can support us.
The cafe sells hot and cold drinks, a range of toasted ciabattas and sausage rolls as well as delicious local cakes from Sponge, ice cream from Saffron and Lickety Ices and crisps from award winning Two Farmers.
We have a range of items for different dietary requirements and preferrences, chat to the team to find out more.
Species
Contact us
Environmental designation
Explore Lackford Lakes from the air
Daily activities at Lackford Lakes
Make the most of your visit to Lackford! We have a range of activities and equipment for families such as:
Hire our discovery pack - £6. Packed with ideas and kit to get you out closer to nature, all in our handy carry bag.
Try our seasonal spotter sheet - £2. Changed each season, gets you looking closer at some of our resident wildlife and the place they call home.
Want to try out some binoculars?
Binocular hire - £3. A great choice if you don't want to bring yours out or if you're on holiday, have forgotten yours at home or simply want to test out a new pair. Different sizes available for big or small hands.
Wildlife update - April
April is the month when many of our birds arrive back from Africa to raise a family. Almost as soon as they are back they start singing to attract a mate. Then it is onto nest building and raising a family. This past week, reed warbler and cuckoo have returned to the lakes.
Here is our latest spring arrival list:
- Sand martin on the 23rd March.
- Little gull on the 1st April
- Willow warbler on the 1st April
- Little ringed plover on the 1st April
- Nightingale on the 8th April
- Common tern on the 9th April
- House Martin on the 9th April
- Garden warbler on the 12th April
- Sedge warbler on the 13th April
- Whitethroat on the 14th April
- Lesser whitethroat on the 14th April
- Reed warbler on the 14th April
- Cuckoo on the 18th April
Over the coming weeks, numbers of all these birds should increase so it is a great time to come and listen to them singing around the reserve.
Some of our water birds are also thinking of the breeding season and down at Steggall’s viewpoint – we have some already on eggs including great crested grebes and oystercatchers.
It is not just the birds that are great at this time of year, spring butterflies have been off to a good start with nine species already recorded as follows:
- Brimstone
- Peacock
- Small tortoiseshell
- Red admiral
- Speckled wood
- Orange tip
- Green veined white
- Holly blue
- Comma
Many more insects should start making an appearance over the coming months so it is a great time to explore our reserve at Lackford Lakes.
What's happening at Lackford
Group visits
If you are visiting as a group, no matter how big or small, please email us at lackford.centre@suffolkwildlifetrust.org in good time before your visit.
We will then provide you with a booking form to help ensure you get the most from your visit.
Guided walks, teas and coffees and introductory talks can be made available by request in advance, this can be discussed further once you have made your enquiry.