Summer Exploring Whatever the Weather
Rain can be refreshing, especially after a hot spell so pop a brolly in your bag and don't miss a day out in nature!
A wet weather forecast on your day out may seem to be off-putting, but rain is part of an English summer and essential to wetlands.
If you have already booked tickets to visit WWT Arundel don’t let a damp forecast put you off. With lots of things to see, feel, and listen out for, there's so much to explore in our wetlands - it can actually make for a perfect rainy day, summer adventure!
If you're planning a visit when the forecast is mixed, or if you are already here and the heavens open, see it as an opportunity to try spots and wildlife hides you haven’t been to before. Slow down your day, listening for wildlife, counting birds, leaves and sounds.
Scheduled summer activities are go
Our Dragonfly Festival activities are weatherproof – they will run even during summer showers. Pond Dipping sessions are on every day, just pop up your brolly to enjoy hunting for dragonfly nymphs at the Raised Pond. Book at the admissions desk.
Reveal dragonfly superpowers along the Journey of a Dragonfly trail boards, each with a dragonfly challenge for your friends and family. Dragonfly Dominos are available in the picnic area. If the rain gets heavy, pop into the Outlook In building for Children’s Crafts from 11:00-12:30 & 1.30 -3 pm.
Wildlife and nature activities
The Discovery Hide is designed for families. Facing the Arun Riverlife lagoon, the hide has welcoming colours, a viewing scope, and soft furnishings with plenty of bird information signs to help your crew discover wetland wildlife.
Just across the pathway, our WWT Keepers introduce you to Rogue, Storm, Logan and Odin the Dalmatian Pelican each afternoon at a 2 pm talk. At noon each day, watch the sea ducks dive for fish at the nearby Coastal Creek aviary talk.
Further down the path, drop by the Incubation and Rearing Rooms to say hi to young ducklings in the rearing tanks. If you get caught in a shower, pop into the Woodland Lodge hide in the Woodland Loop. Further along the Reedbed boardwalk is the Reedbed shelter, a special spot to wait out the rain or for an impromptu picnic.
The Wetland Secret plant house is a charming thatched barn full of details on traditional uses of wetlands plants. This lovely stopping spot has large benches if you want to wait for a spell. The summer wildflowers at WWT Arundel are a wonder to behold!
When it is cloudy and damp, sand martins fly lower over the water in front of the Sand Martin hide to hunt insects. It’s fascinating to watch the martins fly quickly in and out of their nesting holes in the banks beside the hide windows. It’s a summer must see!
The Scrape hide and the Ramsar hid are great (dry) spots to look out for the nesting cattle egrets and wading great white egrets. These large water birds are easy to identify from afar. Rent a pair of binoculars at the Gift Shop in the visitor centre if you want a closer look at these and other birds. At the Scrape hide watch for our resident family of marsh harriers onsite this summer, two adults and three juveniles!
Photography
Along the ponds and ditches try your hand at photography, looking for ripples in the water and reflections that give your work an edge or even during those heavy downpours, the blur of the rain often giving another dimension to your work. Don't miss the Reedbed Willow Sphere as a perfects spot for moody rainy day photography. Please share your photos with us by tagging us on social media @WWTarundel ...we'd love to see them!
Ready to Visit?
If you've been inspired to visit WWT Arundel in the rain (or at any time) find out more and book your visit online to save 10%.
Plan your visit
