Pulborough Brooks

Head to the Arun Valley in West Sussex and you'll find our Pulborough Brooks. With beautiful views across to the South Downs, this reserve is set in one of the richest areas for nature in the country. Our family-friendly nature reserve is home to some wonderful wildlife, with fun trails to explore.

Experience the magic of a springtime walk where you'll be serenaded by a choir of warblers and our virtuoso performer the Nightingale. Meanwhile on the wetlands Lapwings will be displaying acrobatically in the air.

Head to the ponds and ditches in search of dragons and damsels in summer – we're one of the top sites for dragonflies and you can hear the clash of wings as these fearsome predators do battle over the prime perches. Visit at dusk in June and July for a night-time safari where mysterious Nightjars chur on the heath, bats zoom above your head and you can spot twinkling Glow-worms in the undergrowth.

The woodlands turn golden in autumn and you can discover a rainbow of fungi by following our trail around the wooded heath. Head down to Hanger View in winter – one minute, all is calm with the Wigeon gently whistling as they graze, then chaos ensues as thousands of birds take to the air in panic – it must be the Peregrine Falcon out hunting.

The RSPB also looks after nearby Amberley Wildbrooks that forms part of the Arun Valley Special Protection Area (SPA), and is home to wintering wildfowl, such as Wigeon and Teal. Please note, the site is not easily accessible, with no parking available or facilities. Public footpaths only. 

Download our trail map, to help you plan your visit.