Sculthorpe Moor

Sculthorpe Moor Nature Reserve is a peaceful place, with a rich variety of wildlife in its woodland, fen and reed bed habitats.

Located in the beautiful Wensum Valley, the reserve is nationally and internationally recognised as important for its wildlife.

Greater Spotted Woodpecker

Created and managed by the Hawk and Owl Trust, the 18-hectare (45 acre) reserve provides everyone with a real opportunity to get involved with the natural environment. We particularly welcome families, wildlife watchers and educational groups, and it’s a great place to come for a stroll.

With access open to all through boardwalks across the entire reserve making access easy for everyone, Sculthorpe Moor can proudly boast that we are one of the most Disabled friendly and accessible nature reserves in the whole country.

Bird feeders, nest boxes and directions signs with distances included, are sited along the way and there are viewing platforms, places to sit and relax, and five hides for watching the wildlife. The elevated Whitley and Volunteer Hides give spectacular views over the fen and reed bed.

What to expect to see on the reserve:

Throughout the year: Tawny and barn owls, kingfishers, buzzards, red kites, bullfinches, willow and marsh tits, great spotted woodpeckers, tree creepers, water and bank voles, shrews, stoats and weasels.

Bank Vole

Spring/summer: Breeding marsh harrier, hobby, warblers and cuckoo in the reedbed, dragonflies and damselflies over pools and drains, butter flies, moths, glow -worms, yellow flag iris, hemp agrimony and other flowering plants.

Cuckoo

Autumn/winter: brambling, redpoll, water rail, siskin, roosting harriers, scarlet elf cup fungus.

Scarlet Elf Fungus

Reserve opening times:

Summer (1st April – 31st October): 8.00am – 5.00pm (Thursday late night reserve opening till 8.30pm or dusk if earlier)

Winter (1st November – 31st March): 8.00am – 4.00pm 

The Reserve and Visitor Centre is closed on Christmas Day

Charge: £4 entry donation per adult, children under 16 are Free

Reserve Recommendations:

One of these can be found by Birding for All expert Brian Anderson. Brian visited the reserve in 2015 and gave his review and opinion on our disabled facilities, since then many of his suggestions for improvement have been followed up. Click on the following link to view

Euans Guide Listing (a website for disabled access reviews)