Brandon Marsh Nature Reserve
ENTRY
from £3.25
SETTING
Outdoors
WHERE
Coventry
What it’s like
Muddy trails, nine bird hides and a mud kitchen make this a proper wellies-on nature reserve outside Coventry.
This is a reserve, not a zoo, so the animals turn up on their own terms. You've got nine bird hides to duck into, a brass rubbing trail with hidden plaques to hunt down, and Mouse Manor, which is basically a giant harvest mouse's nest kids can climb inside. There's a mud kitchen too, so pack a spare pair of trousers and don't bother with the good shoes.
Two surfaced trails, the Kingfisher (about 40 minutes) and the Woodpecker (about 20), are buggy and wheelchair friendly, which is handy since the rest of the reserve can get proper boggy after rain. They're upfront that heavy weather can shut off paths to some of the hides, and mobility scooters (free to loan if you ring ahead) don't go out in the wet either. That's the one real catch here: turn up after a downpour and you'll be stuck to the surfaced bits.
Entry is £3.25 for a child, £4.75 for an adult, or £12.75 for a family of five, which is fair going for a whole morning of pond dipping and trail walking. The café does lunches, cakes and ice cream with gluten-free and vegan options, so you're not stuck eating a squashed sandwich in the car. Warwickshire Wildlife Trust members get in free, worth knowing if you think you'll be back.
Opening hours shift with the seasons, running to 4.30pm in summer and 4pm in winter, a bit earlier at weekends when the gates open at 10am instead of 9.30am. Parking's free on site, and there's bike parking too, though bikes stay outside the reserve itself and belong across the road at Brandon Reach instead.
Facilities
Need to know
- Best for
- Good for young explorers who don't mind mud; older kids will like the hides too
- Parking
- Free parking on site
- Food
- On-site café with hot and cold drinks, lunches, ice cream and cakes
- Pushchairs
- Pushchair friendly on two surfaced trails
- Wheelchairs
- Two wheelchair accessible trails and hides
- Dogs
- Assistance dogs only
- Worth knowing
- FREE entry for Warwickshire Wildlife Trust members
- Bikes can be parked on site but not ridden inside the reserve; take them across to Brandon Reach instead.
- Book mobility scooter loans ahead by phone, and expect them to be unavailable in wet weather.
- Bring wellies or old shoes, the ground floods in places after rain.
- Café does gluten-free and vegan options alongside the usual cakes and lunches.
Plan your visit
How much does it cost?
£4.75 for an adult, £3.25 for a child aged 4 and up, £3.75 concessions, or £12.75 for a family of two adults and three children.
What are the opening hours?
9.30am to 4.30pm on summer weekdays, 10am to 4.30pm on summer weekends. Winter hours are 9.30am to 4pm weekdays and 10am to 4pm weekends, with bank holidays following the weekend times.
Is it OK for a buggy or wheelchair?
The Kingfisher and Woodpecker trails are both surfaced and fine for buggies and wheelchairs. The rest of the reserve gets muddy and some paths can flood after heavy rain.
Can we hire a mobility scooter?
They're free to loan but you need to phone the visitor centre in advance to book one. Scooters don't go out in wet weather though.
What is there for younger kids to do?
Mouse Manor lets them explore inside a giant harvest mouse nest, there's a mud kitchen for messy play, and pond dipping and sensory gardens to potter around.
How long is the walk?
The Kingfisher Trail takes about 40 minutes and the Woodpecker Trail about 20, though you'll want longer if you're stopping at hides and the mud kitchen.
Is there food on site?
Yes, a café serving hot and cold drinks, lunches, cakes and ice cream, with gluten-free and vegan options.
Is parking free?
Free parking on site, plus bike parking if you're cycling over, though bikes have to stay outside the reserve itself.
Can we bring the dog?
Only assistance dogs are allowed on the reserve.
What happens in bad weather?
Heavy rain can close off paths to some of the bird hides and the ground gets properly muddy, so it's worth sticking to the two surfaced trails if it has been wet.
Is there a discount for Wildlife Trust members?
Warwickshire Wildlife Trust members get in free.
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