Access and Facilities
The reserve is accessible by car from the A12 via the village of Westleton. It is also connected to Route 1 of the Sustrans National Cycle Network by the Suffolk Coast Cycle route. The nearest bus access is in the town of Leiston 4 miles (6.4 km) away and rail access is in Darsham 5 miles (8.0 km) away. Coastlink, a demand responsive bus service is available from these places to travel to the reserve but requires booking a day in advance. Minsmere reserve is also accessible on foot from Dunwich Heath, Sizewell Beach and Eastbridge, with 12 miles (19 km) of public rights of way around reserve. The long-distance walks, the Suffolk Coast Path and Sandlings Walk connect to the reserve.
Minsmere has extensive footpaths throughout the site and seven bird hides are provided for birdwatching. Some but not all of these are accessible to wheelchair and buggy users. Only assistance dogs are allowed within the reserve, all other dogs must be kept within the car park, visitors centre or on the public rights of way that surround the site. A visitors centre provides a cafe, picnic area, shop, toilets and baby-changing facilities. There is also an information centre and guided walks, binocular hire and children's 'explorer packs' are available.
Entry to the reserve is free for RSPB members and a fee is charged for non-members. The site is open daily during daylight hours, year round. The visitor centre and facilities are open from 9 am to 5 pm with some seasonal variations.
Read more about this topic: Minsmere RSPB Reserve
Famous quotes containing the words access and, access and/or facilities:
“Make thick my blood,
Stop up th’ access and passage to remorse,
That no compunctious visitings of nature
Shake my fell purpose.”
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616)
“Oh, the holiness of always being the injured party. The historically oppressed can find not only sanctity but safety in the state of victimization. When access to a better life has been denied often enough, and successfully enough, one can use the rejection as an excuse to cease all efforts. After all, one reckons, “they” don’t want me, “they” accept their own mediocrity and refuse my best, “they” don’t deserve me.”
—Maya Angelou (b. 1928)
“Marriage is good enough for the lower classes: they have facilities for desertion that are denied to us.”
—George Bernard Shaw (1856–1950)