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Hanningfield Reservoir Visitor Centre - Essex WT

Hanningfield visitor centre is set in mature woodland and offers superb views over the 870 acre Hanningfield Reservoir. It is an ideal place to view the wildlife of the nature reserve. The centre has full disabled access as does the nearby Lyster Bird hide.

The nature reserve offers some beautiful walks through the woodland, taking in bird hides, ponds and views across the reservoir. The site is run by the Essex Wildlife Trust in partnership with Essex & Suffolk Water and you can walk through the reserve to the Cafe on the Water.

Wildlife highlights: The reservoir itself is a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) due to the important numbers of wildfowl that use the reservoir in the autumn and winter, including Gladwell, Tufted Duck and Pochard. The spectacle of thousands of Swifts, Swallows and Martins feeding over the water during peak fly hatches is one of the delights for the summer visitor. 30 acres of the woodland are ancient in origin and spring flowers include carpets of Bluebells and Stitchwort.

Location:  Hanningfield Reservoir lies south of Chelmsford, north of Basildon and east of Billericay.

Address: Hawkswood Road , Downham, Billericay, Essex, CM11 1WT
Grid ref: TQ 725 971.

Open daily, 9am-5pm 

These maps are intended as a guideline only; you must check the exact location of the reserve yourself. Wildlife Extra assumes no responsibility for the accuracy or usefulness of the information on this website.