Natural England - Visiting National Nature Reserves
Visiting National Nature Reserves
We welcome visitors to our NNRs because we want people to appreciate these wonderful places. The majority of NNRs have some form of access and many have extensive path networks and Access Land.
We ask you to follow the Countryside Code and respect any requests not to stray into sensitive areas and to control dogs. Look out for our Reserve staff or volunteers who will be pleased to help or advise you. Above all, enjoy your visit.
Most NNRs provide excellent opportunities to experience wildlife of all sorts at first hand and to learn more about nature and geological conservation. We believe that these opportunities should be available for everyone including visitors with physical disabilities or special needs. Natural England has an ‘access for all’ policy on its NNRs. However, many NNRs, by their very nature, are difficult to access due either to their remoteness, rugged terrain or the fragility of their habitats. Our web pages for individual NNRs describe the access facilities of each.
Accessibility
Natural England’s participation in The Nationwide Access Register is paving the way for improving accessibility of the countryside for everyone. A new online service provides detailed information about the type of terrain at a NNR, photos of parking/drop-off facilities and wheelchair access which will enable people to plan for the best possible experience on a day out.
Six of our NNRs have been fully assessed in a pilot study: Ainsdale Sand Dunes (Merseyside), Aston Rowant (Oxfordshire), Castle Eden Dene (County Durham), Shapwick Heath (Somerset), Stiperstones (Shropshire) and Thursley (Surrey). All our other NNRs have been assessed through telephone interviews with the relevant staff, see Direct Enquiries: The Nationwide Access Register.
For more information about National Nature Reserves, click on the link below:
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Many of the finest sites in England for wildlife and geology are National Nature Reserves. There are currently 222 across the country and almost all are accessible and provide great opportunities for people to experience nature.