Image credit: John Ferguson
Welcome to Carlton Marshes visitor centre & nature reserve
The southern gateway to the Broads National Park, Carlton Marshes nature reserve is a huge expanse of water, woodland and marshes, home to a wide variety of fantastic wildlife.
There is an adventurous playscape for children, a visitor centre with café and shop, accessible and all-weather trails, which makes it the perfect family day out.
At just over 437 football pitches in size, this large reserve offers plenty of space and fresh air, with wide open skies and unbroken views of the surrounding countryside. You can get away from it all and enjoy the very best of Suffolk’s amazing wildlife.
Carlton Marshes nature reserve, by Bruce Marshall (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cnYrSvpfvhY)
Video credit: Bruce Marshall
Watch our live webcams at Carlton Marshes
Plan your visit
Opening times
The nature reserve is open from dawn until dusk, seven days a week and is free to enter, although donations are very welcome.
Car park
Normally, the car park opens at 9am and closes at 7.30pm (this time is subject to season). If you would like to arrive earlier or stay later, limited out of hour parking is available at the car park entrance, before the gate.
Closed on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Boxing Day.
Visitor Centre & Toilets
Open seven days a week
- 10am-4.30pm (Apr 23 -Nov 23)
- 9:30am-4:00pm (Nov 23 -Apr 24)
Our café serves hot food daily until 3pm and closes at 4.00pm.
Festive Opening Times:
23 December- Open as usual
24, 25 and 26 December- Visitor centre and toilets closed
27 December onwards- Open as usual
Where to find us?
Address:
Burnt Hill Lane, Carlton Colville, Lowestoft, Suffolk, NR33 8HU
OS Map Reference: TM508920
Telephone: 01502 359480
How to find us:
By car & bicycle:
From Norwich, follow the A146 south towards Lowestoft. When you are in Carlton Colville continue on the A146 ‘Beccles Road’. Turn left on to Burnt Hill Lane when you see the signs for Carlton Marshes nature reserve. Follow the lane over the railway line and the reserve car park is signed on the left.
From Ipswich, follow the A12 ‘London Road’ north towards Lowestoft. When you enter Lowestoft, continue on the A12 ‘Bloodmoor Road’, then at the roundabout take the third exit onto the A1117 ‘Elm Tree Road’ and carry on straight until the T-junction traffic lights. Turn left at the lights onto A146 ‘Beccles Road’ for 0.5 miles. Turn right onto Burnt Hill Lane when you see the signs for Carlton Marshes nature reserve, follow the lane over the railway line and the reserve car park is signed on the left.
Bicycle racks are located near the visitor centre. There is no cycling on the trails apart from the main track which leads off from Burnt Hill lane.
By train:
The nearest station is at Oulton Broad South. Enjoy a scenic 0.8 mile walk (18 mins) to the reserve.
Travelling from Ipswich take the Lowestoft train, disembark at Oulton Broad South (the penultimate stop). The service is run by Greater Anglia.
Travelling from Norwich take the train to Lowestoft and disembark at Oulton Broad North (the penultimate stop). From the train station make your way to Nicholas Everitt Park where you can pick up signage to the reserve. The service is run by Greater Anglia.
By bus:
The Boarder bus service 146 (Norwich to Southwold) stops in Carlton Colville, opposite the Crown PH. You then need to walk 1.3 miles (24 mins) adjacent to the A145 ‘Beccles Road’ and then walk down Burnt Hill Lane (take care, there is no footpath - you will be walking at the side of the road)
Car parking and entry
We do not charge for entry or car parking, the visitor centre or the reserve trails but in order to keep us running, we suggest a donation of £5 per car. Continuous support of the Trust enables us to do amazing work for wildlife here at Carlton Marshes and across the county. Our members are incredibly important to us and make a real difference to Suffolk’s wildlife. You can join Suffolk Wildlife Trust at Carlton Marshes or online.
There is a coach drop-off space, if you are planning on bringing a group, please ensure you have pre-booked your visit.
Facilities and access
Café
At Carlton Marshes our café provides a range of snack and lunch items, from tasty traybakes to local sausage rolls there's something for everyone to enjoy during their visit. The Visitor Centre hosts indoors seating with stunning open views out onto the marshes providing a comfortable vantage point to watch wildlife such as marsh harriers soaring by. Outdoor seating is available on our open veranda where water vole can be seen feeding in the dyke below. Picnic tables are situated at the rear of the building in full view of the playscape so families can relax while children enjoy playing on our natural playscape.
Vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options are available daily.
Visitors with dogs
Dogs are welcome in the Visitor Centre at designated dog priority tables. Please ensure dogs are well-behaved and kept on a lead whilst inside the Visitor Centre.
Please stay on the permitted trails on the nature reserve and keep your dog on a lead. There is a dedicated dogs off lead area. For more information about dogs on our nature reserves, click here.
Jo Leng
From bird feeders to children's toys, there is a large selection of products available at Carlton Marshes. Why not treat yourself or a loved one to locally made jewellery or explore the world of birds with our wildlife guides? Collection is also available from our online shop.
Please note that not all products online are available instore
John Ferguson
There is a public toilet for disabled visitors which is fully accessible.
Changing places fully accessible toilet
Mobility Scooters
Carlton Marshes has two mobility scooters available for visitor use at the reserve. There is a hire cost of £5 per morning/afternoon session.
Scooters can be reserved in advance by emailing the reserve carlton.centre@suffolkwildlifetrust.org or when available they can be hired on the day by enquiring at the visitor centre.
Please note, not all of the nature reserve is suitable for mobility scooters, there is a route designated for mobility scooter use.
Thank you to the Broads Authority for their support purchasing this equipment.
What to see
Fen raft spider
An astounding 28 species of dragonfly have been spotted here. Carlton Marshes lie in the Waveney Valley at the southern tip of the Norfolk Broads and is part of the Suffolk Broads. It comprises a jigsaw of grazing marsh, fens, peat pools, short fen meadow, tall fen (called 'tall litter fen'), dykes, pools and scrub. Mostly man-made, these habitats have developed over hundreds of years of traditional management and now host specialised wildlife.
What to do
Discover
There is always something new and exciting to find at Carlton Marshes. Throughout the year we have a range of trails and activities to get children and families closer to nature including...
- Big Butterfly Trail £2 (Summer Holidays 2021)
- Bug Kit Hire £2
Explore
With miles of nature trails to explore and some cosy viewpoints to hide inside if the weather is a little damp, the reserve is a great place to visit all year round.
It’s not all about the amazing animals and plants you can see though. Listen to the sound of the wind through the reeds, catch the call of a chiff chaff in the summer and listen out for the tell-tale plop of a water vole entering the water.
Events & Activities
At Carlton Marshes we run a host of activities from early years groups to adult workshops to encourage all ages to connect with nature.
Running
You can run on any of the waymarked trails (some are seasonal, so check and obey the signs). You can also run or walk the Angles Way through the reserve from Oulton Broad to Beccles, along the river Waveney towpath. There are cafés at either end – please use sustainable transport by taking the train or bus.
Is there an easy 5k loop?
Yes, we’ve saved this Garmin Connect course which is exactly 5 kilometres: https://connect.garmin.com/modern/course/244949252
Are some areas off-limits?
Yes, visitors need to keep to the trail paths to avoid disturbance to wildlife and the delicate environment. Don’t worry though, the signage makes it easy to navigate the reserve. Cycling is only allowed on the gravel bridleway from Burnt Hill Way.
Can I run with my dog?
Yes, we welcome well-behaved dogs and they should be on a short lead at all times on the reserve.
Volunteering at Carlton Marshes
We are looking for enthusiastic people to help promote the work of Suffolk Wildlife Trust at Carlton Marshes Visitor Centre.
Learning volunteer by John Ferguson
Bring your group or party to Carlton Marshes
We welcome pre-booked groups or parties to Carlton Marshes. Please let us know at least two weeks in advance of your arrival so we can be sure to accommodate you. If there’s an activity you’d like to take part in, or perhaps take a private tour or function, this can be arranged. Please give us a call on 01502 359480 or send an email to carlton.centre@suffolkwildlifetrust.org
Wild Birthday Parties
Photograph: John Ferguson
With lots of room and plenty to do, having a Birthday Party at Carlton Marshes is great fun for kids (and adults too!). For parties up to 30 children, please ask us for more details.
Hiring Carlton Marshes Activity Room
Visitor Centre Activity Room
Our visitor centre activity room is situated within our main visitor centre building, with easy access to our café. Equipped with tables, chairs, WiFi, a screen and projector, the room can be configured theatre style or with table layouts. Accommodating up to 50 people (Government restrictions may apply), this is a great space to host a meeting or a small workshop.
Please contact carlton.centre@suffolkwildlifetrust.org for availability and bookings.
Events at Carlton Marshes
This wonderful animation tells the story of Carlton Marshes past and present – many thanks to Tim Britton and Heritage Fund: