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Britain's most visited nature reserve, virtually – On Wildlife Extra

Hampshire tops the virtual wildlife reserve table with three in the top 15.

January 2010. Wildlife Extra (WE) were looking through some boring figures and statistics about our website, and we came across the following. Wildlife Extra now lists more than 900 UK nature reserves and other wildlife hotspots, and during the last year the following reserves have been the most visited.

Loch of the Lowes nature reserve,  by the Scottish Wildllife Trust is way ahead in top place, almost entirely prompted by the ospreys that breed there. Few people visited from September to April, but then, prompted by Britain's oldest osprey laying her 53rd egg, it was very popular during the spring and summer.

Thursley Common National Nature Reserve, in a strong second place, had much more even traffic throughout the year, with a large spike on one day in April. Similarly Marton Mere Local Nature Reserve had steady visits throughout the year.

 

1.	Loch of the Lowes wildlife reserve	Perthshire	5,662
2.	Thursley Common National Nature Reserve	Surrey	4,247
3.	Marton Mere Local Nature Reserve	Lancashire	3,502
4.	Cley Marshes Nature Reserve	Norfolk	3,175
5.	Westhay Moor National Nature reserve	Somerset	2,691
6.	Blashford Lakes Wildlife Reserve	Hampshire	2,556
7.	Langford Lakes Nature Reserve	Wiltshire	2,555
8.	Old Winchester Hill National Nature Reserve	Hampshire	2,432
9.	Pagham Harbour Nature Reserve	West Sussex	2,113
10.	Shapwick Heath National Nature Reserve	Somerset	1,950
11.	Teesmouth National Nature Reserve	Durham	1,840
12.	Swanwick Lakes Wildlife Reserve	Hampshire	1,755
13.	Brandon Marsh Nature Reserve and Centre	Warwickshire	1,565
14.	Summer Leys Nature reserve	Northamptonshire	1,563
15.	Chobham Common National Nature Reserve	Surrey	1,452

Hampshire is the top county
Hampshire scores with three reserves in the top fifteen, with adjacent Surrey and lovely Somerset both with 2.

To see our guide to the wildlife of the UK, click the relevant region below.

uk wildlife watching guide Wildlife Extra provides a free wildlife watching guide to the UK. We list some 800+ sites in the UK, but we are missing plenty. Please do send us any you feel we should list, or feel free to comment on the already do.

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