What's here? at The Lodge
Available on site
The main car park:
⦁ 40 spaces
⦁ 3 Blue Badge spaces. Free parking for Blue Badge holders. Blue Badge spaces are 50m from the Gatehouse entrance. Blue Badge Space further down the drive towards The Lodge house.
Compacted stone surface. No lighting. No formal drop-off point.
The second car park:
⦁ 30 spaces
⦁ 5 Blue Badge/accessible spaces
The surface is reinforced concrete grid with grass filling. There is an informal drop off with a dropped kerb close to the ramp to the café. The accessible spaces are around 50m to the café entrance via a 1.5m wide plastic gravel grid path. There is some street light style lighting in this car park.
Open daily 10am-4pm.
They are located in a separate block next to the shop. There are 5 additional toilets at the café. 4 are all gender and one is all gender accessible.
Baby change is available in both the accessible toilet and one other toilet.
Our baby changing facilities are located in our toilets in a separate toilet block next to the shop.
There are 5 additional toilets at the café. 4 are all gender and one is all gender accessible.
Baby change is available in both the accessible toilet and one other toilet.
The path from the Visitor centre and shop, past the hide and to The Lodge house and around the gardens is on level, although at times slightly uneven ground.
Other paths will have steeper, stepped sections and are not suitable for mobility vehicles and most prams.
The path from the Visitor centre and shop, past the hide and to The Lodge house and around the gardens is on level, although at times slightly uneven ground.
Other paths will have steeper, stepped sections and are not suitable for mobility vehicles and most prams.
Open daily 10am-4pm.
They are located in a separate block next to the shop. There are 5 additional toilets at the café. 4 are all gender and one is all gender accessible.
Baby change is available in both the accessible toilet and one other toilet.
Our volunteer staffed Visitor Centre is open on an ad hoc basis, usually between 10am and 4pm.
Across the bridleway from the car park, the Visitor Centre is where you can meet one of our informative volunteers who will be pleased to tell you more about the reserve and the RSPB.
Entrance is by a ramp with a handrail on one side. Step-free, level access throughout with carpet tiles. Good lighting. Staff available to assist.
Download our trail map, to help you plan your visit.
The path from the Visitor centre and shop, past the hide and to The Lodge house and around the gardens is on level, although at times slightly uneven ground. Other paths will have steeper, stepped sections and are not suitable for mobility vehicles and most prams. Trails can be steeply undulating, with raised tree roots, stepped sections, with some hard sand paths on the level.
Seating is provided throughout the reserve. Information provided along trails can be read from a child’s eye/seated position. Check our on-site maps and at the Visitor Centre for any seasonal trails.
⦁ The Woodpecker Trail is 2 miles long.
⦁ The Buzzard Trail is 1.5 miles long. Allow around 1.5 hours to complete this trail.
⦁ The Nuthatch Trail is 1.5 miles long. Allow around 1.5 hours to complete this trail.
⦁ The Skylark Trail is 3 miles long. Allow around 2 hours to complete this trail.
We have a bridleway that runs through the reserve across the site. This joins with our trail to form a loop of the Skylark Trail and then runs from the reserve entrance, forking to the left and down to the Biggleswade Common site exit.
The café is open 9:30-16:30 with last hot food orders at 15:30.
The café has good natural lighting and artificial lighting. It is accessed from both the front and rear by shallow ramps linking it to both car parks.
We have some gluten free and some vegetarian and vegan options and a full list of allergens. Speak to staff if you have any dietary needs.
Some items are self service in open fridges, if you need any assistance staff are able to help.
A selection of takeaway refreshments are also available from the shop, 10am-4pm.
The picnic area is next to the gatehouse, It has 21 tables. 6 are wheelchair accessible. The surface is short grass and is slightly uneven in some places. The picnic area has level access from the main car park.
We also have a number of other benches around the reserve.
Help keep this place safe and special for wildlife and people by taking your litter home with you.
Our viewpoints are a great place to spot the special wildlife here and offer outstanding views over our heathland. Most of the viewpoints have benches.
Our play area is open and very popular with families. It is located of off the main car park, connecting to the Woodpecker Trail. Go wild on our nature-inspired play equipment including,
The shop is open between 9:30 and 17:00 between the start of February and the end of October. Between the start of November and the end of January it is open 9:30-16:30.
It offers a range of drinks, snacks and ice creams. There is a portable hearing loop. Stock is stored at a range of heights and staff are available to assist if you need any help.
Our popular RSPB binoculars are available to hire on your visit:
⦁ £5 RSPB Puffins
⦁ £7 RSPB Avocets
Binocular hire is available daily from 10am, to be returned by closing time at 3.45pm.
Not available on site
BBQs are a fire risk, endangering other people and the precious wildlife and habitats here. They are not permitted on the reserve at any time.
Restrictions
Sorry, no dogs in the visitor centre except assistance dogs, dogs can be walked on a lead along the bridleway on our Skylark Trail. A water bowl is available at the Gatehouse.
Assistance dogs are welcome in all parts of the reserve.