Nunnery Lakes Reserve and Friends

The BTO’s Nunnery Lakes Reserve is a County Wildlife Site which lies to the south of Thetford between the Rivers Thet and Little Ouse. It follows a series of lakes created by old gravel workings, and contains a rich variety of Breckland habitats within a relatively small area. These include dry, sandy heathland, wet woodland and flood meadow, which are home to a remarkable range of resident and seasonal wildlife.

Support the Reserve

Got a few hours you could spare? Why not become a Friend of the Nunnery Lakes Reserve and get involved in looking after and improving Thetford's wonderful nature reserve.

Avian influenza (AI)

Due to the recent rise in severe cases of avian influenza (also known as avian flu and bird flu) in birds across the UK, we must advise visitors not to touch sick or dead birds, should they come across them. It is better that they are dealt with by staff wearing appropriate PPE. To date, no cases of bird flu have been identified at the Nunnery Lakes Reserve but given the high levels of mobility among birds the potential is always there.

Wildlife on the reserve

Around sixty species of birds breed here and many more overwinter or pass through on migration in spring and autumn. 

There are Water Voles, Otters, Grass Snakes, Common Lizards and a wide variety of butterflies and dragonflies. Several scarce Breckland plants occur here, including Tower Mustard and Mossy Stonecrop.

Discovery Trail

The Nunnery Lakes Discovery Trail is a series of interpretation panels to guide you around the lakes, and a leaflet is available from BTO reception during office hours (M-T: 9-5.30 p.m., F: 5 p.m.), or for download -
.
You can also download a
of wildlife you might see around the Discovery Trail. We hope you enjoy your visit.
Select image to enlarge.

Access to the reserve

The reserve is open during daylight hours and free for people to visit and quietly enjoy the countryside. Apart from Arlington Way, paths are unsuitable for wheelchairs but access can be arranged by contacting info [at] bto.org in advance. There are three entrances, each with an information panel and map.

A path runs along the River Thet from Arlington Way across a meadow to Nunn’s Bridges, where there is parking beside the Little Ouse. The path continues south along the Little Ouse to a second bridge where a left turn, away from the river, leads to a kissing gate on the right, and a track which runs to the lakes.

From the car park at the BTO, Nunnery Place leads to a track to the river, and beyond the bridge, the kissing gate to the lakes is on the right.

General Information

  • The nearest toilets are on Nunnery Place at the back of BTO (during office hours only).
  • BTO reception is open 9 a.m. – 5.30 p.m. Mon – Thur and 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. Friday.
  • The distance from the Nuns’ Bridges to the Lakes and back is about 3 km /1.5 m.
  • It is advisable to wear walking boots.
  • All paths are way-marked.
  • Please keep all dogs on a lead.
  • Contact Ian Henderson, the Reserve Manager, with any questions.

Getting Here

  • Parking is available at The Nunnery (BTO HQ) and nearby on Nuns' Bridges Road.
  • Alternatively, the reserve entrance is a 20-minute walk or bus ride from Thetford Station.
  • British Trust for Ornithology (BTO), The Nunnery, Thetford, Norfolk, IP24 2PU
  • Tel: +44 (0)1842 750050

Friends of Nunnery Lakes Reserve

If you are passionate about nature, love the special habitat and wildlife to be found in the Breckland area and are keen to help us to look after the Nunnery Lakes Reserve - you may be just the kind of friend we’re looking for.

How you can help

  • Give some of your spare time to helping us to look after and improve the reserve and join one of our two work parties each month. No skills required - just reasonable fitness and bags of enthusiasm - we’ll provide the training and equipment and find you a suitable task to do while you enjoy the outdoors and get closer to over 1,000 species of wildlife.
  • Arrange to come and help with a group of work colleagues as part of your employer’s commitment to Corporate Social Responsibility - bringing environmental benefits to Thetford’s own nature reserve.
  • Help to raise funds for the reserve or have your company sponsor special projects.
  • If you are interested in getting involved in looking after this magical place we’d love to hear from you. Call us on 01842 750050 and ask for Ian Henderson.

Friends’ Stories

Outdoor learning day for children

The Shadwell Estate sponsored a special outdoor learning day for children from East Harling Primary School to experience a bird identification training course - lead by expert BTO scientists - on another lovely sunny day in October. There were some exciting sightings, including a Buzzard in an aerial dispute with a young Goshawk.

Hedge-laying workshop

In early spring 2016 we held the first hedge-laying workshop for a group of Friends of the Reserve, with excellent results, which was enjoyed by all. Now you can see across the wet woodland as you walk the Nunnery Place track to the river.

Opening the Discovery Trail

In November 2016 we celebrated the opening of the Nunnery Lakes Discovery Trail. The trail was supported by a grant from Tesco’s Bags of Help community scheme, with new access signs and interpretation panels being installed by Friends of the Reserve volunteers - a real community effort.

Clearing the Arlington Way

Trainees from RAF Honington’s Juno Flight spent a cold but sunny Saturday in January clearing vegetation from beside the Arlington Way path along the River Thet to enable Friends of the Reserve work parties to plant around 200 new trees donated by the Woodland Trust.

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