Update 17/08/20: Following the new government guidelines regarding visitor attractions it is a legal requirement for all visitors, unless you are exempt or under 11, to wear face coverings in all of our hides at both Titchwell and Snettisham at the current time.
Update 05/08/20: We are very pleased to say that three swallows have fledged from Island hide and, after a thorough clean and a few repair jobs, we have opened the hide with a limit on the number of people inside it at any one time. There have been some cracking close views of ruff from this hide and the West Bank Path today! Autumn trail is also open which gives us slightly more capacity across the reserve - this means we have opened another bay of the car park. Once again do be mindful that early morning and later in the afternoon is usually quieter across the reserve and some of the best times to birdwatch. Another change is that we are supporting the NHS with the track and trace scheme to help prevent the spread of coronavirus. During opening hours, on arrival in the courtyard, you will be asked to complete a paper slip with a few of your details and post in our secure box. These details will be stored in line with our GDPR policy and will be destroyed after 21 days if they are not required by the NHS.
Over at RSPB Snettisham we are very pleased to say four swallows have fledged from the nest inside Shore hide and this hide is also open with a limit on the number of people at any one time.
Island hide at Titchwell
Update 30/07/20: The café is now open seven days a week from 10am - 4pm serving a limited menu of drinks, snacks and ice creams!
Update 21/07/20: The café is now serving a limited menu of drinks and snacks from the serving hatch Saturday to Wednesday 10am to 4pm. Closed on Thursdays and Fridays for now.
Café and courtyard area at Titchwell
Hello!
We are so pleased to be welcoming you back to Titchwell Marsh after what feels like forever! We have worked tirelessly to ready the reserves for your return and will tell you more about the work we've been doing while you've been away later this week. For now, here’s some more detail about what you can expect during your next visit.
On arrival you will find that we have opened half of the car park. This is to ensure our narrow paths do not become overcrowded as visitors move around the reserve. This means there will be limited car parking capacity initially. Please be mindful of this before choosing to travel and do be considerate towards others during a visit. As a reminder, there is no overnight parking in the car park.
RSPB staff or volunteers will be on hand to welcome you each day between the hours of 10-4, however the car park and trails will be open 24 hours, as usual. Please comply with social distancing when interacting with our staff, volunteers and other visitors to help keep everyone safe.
The welcome team will let you know the safety measures in place across the reserve, including some one-way systems, and will provide you with the information you need to have a safe and enjoyable visit.
We have decommissioned the old coin fed parking machines and introduced a simple contactless entry charge for non-members.
Whilst we are in this partially re-opened state the non-member entry charge will be £3.75 for adults, £1.90 for the first child (second and subsequent children are free) and all under 5s free. Student entry will be £2.80.
Members, please keep your membership card with you to show to our welcome team instead of leaving on your dashboard.
Our toilets, located in the car park, will be open. They are being cleaned and monitored at regular intervals throughout the day. They will be given a final clean and locked each evening at 5pm, re-opening by 9am each morning to ensure we can keep them clean and safe for your visit.
Toilets at Titchwell
We have opened Fen hide and ask that you obey social distancing and be considerate to others who may wish to use the hide.
Island hide remains closed as a swallow family has taken up residence! The birds aren’t used to the disturbance of people so the hide will be kept closed until the chicks have fledged. We then plan to carefully bring this hide back into use.
Unfortunately, the path to the Parrinder hide is too narrow and long to facilitate easy social distancing, therefore this hide, and the path to it, will remain closed for now.
The café and shop are closed for now and we are working to get measures in place to safely reopen these facilities.
Just before you arrive at the shop and cafe area you will notice some construction work. This is our new welcome hub, a project that has been planned for a while to enable us to greet all our visitors better, share sightings news and provide reserve information and an entry point. We hope to have it up, running and Covid secure soon.
Welcome hub location at Titchwell
There is news about Snettisham too:
The car park and trails have been open for a while and we have now been able to open South hide. Rotary and Shore hide remain closed due to nesting swallows.
The new Knot’s Landing hide will need to stay closed until we are able to erect screening and a boardwalk to the hide. This will be after the breeding season and will prevent disturbance to birds by people walking to the hide. We’re looking forward to getting this incredible hide open for you to use.
As always, during the current time, please consider staying local to your nearest reserves/greenspaces. Anyone choosing to visit should observe all advice around social distancing and hygiene measures.
We will of course let you know about any future changes to our reserves as and when they happen.
We look forward to seeing you again soon.
Hayley
Senior Sites Manager - RSPB North West Norfolk Reserves.