Testwood Lakes Nature Reserve
BEST FOR
Ages 2-5
ENTRY
from £5
WHERE
Southampton
What it’s like
Two accessible bird hides and gravel paths for a pushchair-friendly wander, plus monthly Wildlife Tots sessions for 2 to 5 year olds.
The reserve itself is the free bit: rolled gravel paths lead round to two bird hides that are built for wheelchairs and pushchairs, so you can get right up close to whatever's on the water without wrestling a buggy over roots. Bring your own radar key for the gates, or ask ahead about the all-terrain wheelchair they'll hire out if you book.
For under-fives, the thing to book is Wildlife Tots, a monthly session at £5 a child with stories, nature crafts and some proper wildlife learning mixed in. There's also a Forest School run for ages 1.5 to 5 over six weeks, and a Wildlife Watch club that stretches up to age 15 if you've got an older one tagging along. None of this is a turn-up-and-play sort of place though; the centre itself is booked schools and groups only, and even the toilets are only reliably open Monday to Friday, so a spontaneous Saturday visit needs a bit more planning than most reserves.
Livestock graze the site year-round, which is worth knowing if you've got a toddler who wants to say hello to every animal they see, and there's blue-green algae in the water so the "no paddling" rule actually matters here. It's not a long visit by nature reserve standards unless you're doing one of the booked sessions, but the hides and paths alone make for a decent hour with a small child who likes ducks and mud.
Facilities
Need to know
- Best for
- 2 to 5, with Wildlife Watch stretching to older siblings
- Parking
- Car park open 8am-5pm summer, 8am-4pm winter
- Pushchairs
- Rolled gravel paths around reserve make walking with pushchairs easy
- Wheelchairs
- Radar key access to all gates. All-terrain wheelchair available for hire (book ahead)
- Getting there by bus or train
- Totton station 1½ miles (hourly trains)
- Livestock graze the reserve year-round, so keep an eye on little ones near the fences
- Blue-green algae means the water is strictly look-don't-touch
- Weekend visits are hide-and-path only; the centre and toilets are a weekday thing
- You can reach it by train to Totton (1.5 miles) or the Bluestar 12 bus to Testwood Crescent
Plan your visit
How much does it cost?
The reserve and hides don't have a listed entry charge, but Wildlife Tots sessions are £5 per child.
Do we need to book?
Wildlife Tots and the other family sessions need booking in advance. The centre itself only opens for pre-booked schools and groups.
Is it OK for a toddler?
Wildlife Tots is aimed at 2 to 5 year olds and there's a Forest School programme from 1.5 upwards. The gravel paths round the reserve also make pushchair walks easy outside of sessions.
Can we get in with a wheelchair or pushchair?
Yes, rolled gravel paths reach both hides. Gates use radar locks, so bring your own key, and an all-terrain wheelchair can be hired if you book ahead.
Is there parking?
There's a car park with disabled spaces, open 8am to 5pm in summer and 8am to 4pm in winter. The height barrier at 1.9m is usually kept closed.
Are the toilets always open?
Only most days Monday to Friday, and that depends on staff being available, so don't rely on them at weekends.
What about older kids?
Wildlife Watch is the monthly club for that age group, running from 5 up to 15, with nature discovery and craft sessions.
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