Days out
Wallasea Island
Essex MarinaOpenSee opening timesExplore the magical mixture of habitats at RSPB Wallasea Island: from marshland and lagoons to the sea beyond, you won’t get bored. Watch as terns dive and hundreds of waders and wildfowl flock.
About
Discover the newly created saltmarsh, mudflats and lagoons, bursting with life. Take a stroll around the grassland to catch a glimpse of Short-eared Owls or Marsh Harriers and watch over the river to see Common Seals haul themselves out.
Three million tonnes of soil were brought to Wallasea by ship, which was excavated during the construction of tunnels beneath London for the Elizabeth Line. We used this to raise land levels and create a new 115-hectare intertidal area of saltmarsh, islands and mudflats (known as Jubilee Marsh).
Today, it’s a wildlife-rich haven, with plenty of spaces for roosting and feeding. We use sluices to manage the saline lagoons’ water levels and we aim to create a variety of depths of water to suit different species. Cattle graze the area to help us to manage grass length for waders and bird of prey. The tide’s movements bring sediment and seeds into Jubilee Marsh. This makes it the perfect spot for many invertebrates and fish to flourish. Good news in turn, for the birds.
There’s plenty to explore on the more than 740 hectares and there are six walking trails, with two shelters so that you can sit back and relax while you watch the river. Wallasea Island sits within a Special Protection Area which covers the Crouch and Roach estuaries, which are home to various waders and wildfowl, like Dark-bellied Brent Geese. We designed intertidal areas with climate change in mind, with long shallow slopes allowing for the saltmarsh to creep up as sea levels rise.
At a glance
Open daily, 8am-dusk (or 8pm whichever is earlier). Closed outside of these hours.
34 spaces. 2 Blue Badge spaces located closest to the trail entrances.
No lighting in car park. No height restriction barrier. No overnight parking or camping. No coaches. Bicycle racks available.
We don't have an accessible toilet here. The nearest RADAR accessible facilities can be found in Back Lane car park, Rochford, 7 miles away. Visit their website for details
We don’t have any baby changing facilities here.
Allfleets Trail, Jubilee Marsh Trail and South Trail are unsurfaced grass paths accessed from the car park through a wheelchair friendly kissing gate then up a 1:12 ramp to the sea wall. There are no other width restrictions or stiles on RSPB land.
Allfleets Trail, Jubilee Marsh Trail and South Trail are unsurfaced grass paths accessed from the car park through a wheelchair friendly kissing gate then up a 1:12 ramp to the sea wall. There are no other width restrictions or stiles on RSPB land.
We have a temporary toilet (portaloo) in the car park over the summer. At other times, the nearest facilities including a RADAR accessible toilet (Mon-Fri and Sat morning) can be found in Back Lane car park, Rochford, 7 miles away. Visit their website for details
BBQs are a fire risk, endangering other people and the precious wildlife and habitats here. They are not permitted here at any time.
Dogs are welcome on the public footpath (Allfleets Marsh trail) but none of the other trails.
There are no dog waste bins on the reserve, we ask that you take the waste home with you to dispose of.
Please keep your dog on a short lead and under control at all times, due to the sensitive wildlife, habitats and livestock here. Dogs aren’t permitted on guided walks, except assistance dogs.
Assistance dogs are welcome in all parts of the reserve.
See what’s here
Contact Wallasea Island
wallasea@rspb.org.uk Wallasea Island, Rochford, Essex, SS4 2HD 01702 669346