Reserve Update
Tuesday 30th June
All hides and footpaths are currently open as well as the pond-dipping platform between the main observatory and Buxton hide (on weekends and school holidays). **Please note that our Reedbed boardwalk and summer walk are currently closed due to the breeding birds. Sorry for any inconvenience caused**
The A1101 between Welney village and Suspension Bridge is open. Access to the Welney Wetland Centre is also possible from the A10 at Littleport or Ten Mile Bank.
Why not treat yourself to a trip to Welney during the Summer in the beautiful setting of the Fens. Plenty to do for everyone with the reserve in peak condition for birds and activities every weekend including arts & crafts, trail and pond-dipping!
If you have any questions related to these updates, please do not hesitate to contact the centre using the below contact information, where a member of staff will be happy to help.
Opening times
Open 7 days a week, except 25 December
Summer (2nd March - 1st November 2009)
9.30am to 5.00pm - Visitor Centre, Shop, Reserve and Observatory
9.30am to 4.30pm - Wigeon Cafe
Last admissions are at 4.30pm
Winter (Mon 2 November 2009 - Sun 28 February 2010)
Mondays, Tuesdays & Wednesdays
10.00am to 5.00pm - Visitor centre/shop/reserve (Wigeon café closes at 4.30pm)
Thursdays - Sundays
10.00am to 8.00pm – Visitor centre/shop/reserve (Wigeon café closes at 7.30pm)
Late night last admission at 6.30pm.
Occasionally, during the winter months, the A1101 between Welney village and Suspension bridge is flooded. This flooding can also affect access to some parts of the reserve. At these times, regular updates will be posted on the website. In times when there is no flooding, no further notice will be posted. If you are unsure about the current conditions, or would like further information, please call the centre on 01353 860711 before you leave home.
Daytime Wild Swan Feeds – Winter 2009/2010
We recommend that visitors arrive 30minutes in advance of the advertised feed start time.
Sat 24 October 2009 to Sun 14 March 2010
Monday – Sunday at 3.30pm
Sat 26 December 2009 to Sun 14 March 2010
Monday - Sunday 12 noon
Thu 5 November 2009 - Sun 28 February 2010
Thursday - Sunday 6.30pm
Additonal swan feeds are available on Wednesday evenings for group bookings only. Please see groups
Gift Aid admission prices
Our prices are as follows:
Free to WWT members
Adult: £6.30
Concession: £4.75 (over 65 years, full-time students, unemployed)
Child: £3.10 (4 -16 years)
Family: £16.90 (2 adults & 2 children, 4 - 16 years)
The Gift Aid admission price includes a voluntary donation, which enables us to claim the tax back as part of the Government's Gift Aid scheme.
If you choose not to pay the Gift Aid price, these are the prices excluding the voluntary donation.
Adult: £5.73
Concession: £4.32 (over 65 years, full-time students, unemployed)
Child: £2.82 (4 -16 years)
Family: £15.36 (2 adults & 2 children, 4 - 16 years)
Facilities
Eating
The fully Licensed Wigeon Café offers a delicious selection of hot and cold food, a variety of coffees and chilled drinks, and tempting home-made cakes. From healthy vegetarian salads to hearty meat dishes, all can be enjoyed overlooking the beautiful wetlands.
Hot food served between 12noon and 2.30pm.
We do offer Senior Citizens Lunches on Tuesdays with a discount of 10% on meals, teas and coffees (does not include bottled drinks or packaged goods).
Click here if you would like to hire our venues.
Shopping
The gift shop stocks a wide range of wildlife books, outdoor clothing, bird feeders/boxes, postcards and stationary, children’s gifts and souvenirs of your visit to the centre, including a unique range of products featuring the artwork of WWT founder Sir Peter Scott.
A range binoculars and telescopes are sold in the gift shop with trained staff on hand to explain the different products. Furthermore In Focus optics hold sales events throughout the year. An expert is on hand to give advice and guidance whatever your budget plus a percentage of sales goes directly to the conservation work of the Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust. Please contact the centre for upcoming dates.
Terms of entry
Visitors are asked to respect the habitats and wildlife of the Welney Wetland Centre by keeping to the paths at all times and not causing undue noise. It is especially important to remain quiet in the bird viewing hides.
No dogs are permitted on site, other than assistance dogs.
Occasionally, the A1101 between Welney Village and Suspension Bridge floods and is closed to cars. Under such circumstances, access to WWT Welney is always possible from Ely or Downham Market, off the A10. Under exceptional circumstances, WWT reserve the right to cancel an evening floodlit feed to due to severe weather or, for example, a power cut.
Accessibility
- The centre and reserve has tarmac or hard-surfaced paths on main routes.
- Low-level viewing windows in bird hides. Heated bird-watching in main observatory.
- Lift access to upper floors of visitor centre and bridge to reserve.
- Free wheelchair loan (including one electric wheelchair which should be booked in advance).
- Fixed hearing loops in education area and in observatory.
- Assistance dogs permitted. No other dogs permitted.
- Accessible toilets on both floors of the visitor centre
- Free car parking on site. Tarmac surface and reserved bays for disabled visitors.
Photography
The main observatory at Welney has a photography basement for use by professional photographers. The basement provides low-level viewing ports to capture incredible wildlife shots particularly during the winter swan season.
The photography basement will be available for use from 1st September 2009, to allow opportunities to photograph our wonderful winter wildlife. This is to minimise disturbance on the reserve during the breeding season. Basement use is also dependent on the water levels of the reserve.
A minimum donation of £30 per person per day is requested from photographers wishing to use the basement. Admission rates also apply.
Access is during reserve opening times only and at the discretion of the duty warden. Sessions must be pre-booked by contacting the centre on 01353 860711 or info.welney@wwt.org.uk
Reasons to visit
Spring
Rare wading birds arrive with the breeding season. The walks and hides give you close views of Avocet, Lapwing, Snipe, Common Tern and Little Ringed Plover on their nests and raising chicks.
Summer
Discover over 40% of all British wetland plant and flower species alive with butterflies, dragonflies and damselflies. The Summer Walk takes you to parts of the Washes only accessible for 3 months of the year.
Autumn
En route to warmer areas, a range of birds stop-off on the Washes including ruff, Greenshank, Curlew Sandpiper and Little Stint. Dazzling sunsets ripple on the flooded lagoons.
Winter
Watch from our centrally-heated observatory as 3,000 Whooper swans from Iceland join over 4,500 Bewick’s swans arriving from Arctic Russia to take refuge amongst thousands of ducks, geese and other waterbirds. Enjoy daily swan feeds.
Accommodation
Listed below are details of the local tourist information centres:
Kings Lynn
The Custom House, Purfleet Quay, Norfolk PE30 1HP
T: 01553 763044 (24 hours)
E: kings-lynn.tic@west-norfolk.gov.uk
Downham Market CIC
The Priory Centre, Priory Road, Downham Market, Norfolk PE38 9JS
T: 01366 383287 (24 hours)
E: downham-market.tic@west-norfolk.gov.uk
Ely
Oliver Cromwell`s House, 29 St. Mary`s Street, Ely, Cambridgeshire CB7 4HF.
T: 01353 662062
E: tic@eastcambs.gov.uk
Cambridge
Wheeler Street, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, England CB2 3QB
T: 08712 268 006
F: 01223 457 549
E: tourism@cambridge.gov.uk
Contact information
WWT Welney Wetland Centre
Hundred Foot Bank, Welney
Nr. Wisbech, PE14 9TN
T: 01353 860711
F: 01353 863524
E: info.welney@wwt.org.uk