Orford Ness National Nature Reserve

Visit Suffolk’s Secret Coast and take a short boat ride out to this wild and remote shingle spit to uncover some of its secret past.

Known as ‘The Island’, Orford Ness NNR is the largest vegetated shingle spit in Europe and an internationally important nature reserve. Here, visitors can see a variety of habitats including shingle, saltmarsh, mudflat, brackish lagoons and grazing marsh. The Reserve provides an important location for breeding and passage birds as well as for the coastal shingle flora and wildlife, including a large number of nationally rare species.

From 1913 until the mid-1980s the Ness was used as a secret military test site and today visitors can walk amongst some of the unusual and intriguing test sites and buildings.

If you are looking to visit during opening times, why not:

• Explore the five mile pedestrian route with self-guided trails and booklet (plus another four miles Aug – Oct) - visitors can do as much or as little of the route as they like.
• Uncover some of Britain’s secret military history and view displays and information - some original testing and experimentation buildings are open to visitors.
• Experience what an atomic bomb looks like up close
• Discover the unusual natural history of the Ness
• Follow the children’s quiz trail
• Take a walk with a guide (see our webiste for our events list) or speak with our volunteer wardens. We are always looking for more of both!Volunteer wardens are always present on the site when it is open, so visitors can go up and ask questions if they so wish.

Look out for…
• The great variety of scarce and important habitats and wildlife
• Some of the rarest plants in Britain
• Volunteers carrying out important conservation work – why not have a chat?

Before you visit…

To help make your visit to Orford Ness NNR a safe and enjoyable one, please read the following information.

Parking
Pay and display (not NT) at Orford Ness NNR located off Quay Street, Orford (150yds), charge inc. NT members.

WCs
Available in Quay Street Car Park (Suffolk Coastal District Council) and on site (NT).

Visitors with disabilities
Drop-off on Orford Quay. Car has to be returned to car park (150yds). Access around Orford Ness NNR is on foot only, but tractor-drawn trailer tours operate 1st Sat of the month July-Sept, booking essential on 01394 450900. Some uneven surfaces. Wheelchair on site. Accessible adapted WC at Warden's office. Only available when Warden on duty. NB: access to Orford Ness is ferry only and involves negotiating steep and slippery steps to embark or disembark from motor launch.

Food & drink
There are no catering facilities on Orford Ness so visitors are encouraged to bring supplies. Picnics welcome. Shops in village centre. Tea-room near Quay.

Cycling
We regret that cycling is not permitted.

Dogs
Please note that dogs are not permitted.

For your own safety
Please keep to waymarked tracks and roads and do not cross any barriers marked NO ENTRY or NO ACCESS. Any person straying from the visitor routes is at danger from unexploded ordnance and will severely damage very fragile habitats. The routes have been made safe, however, due to the nature of the site, it is possible for buried ordnance to work its way to the surface. The AWRE site (except Lab 1) is strictly out of bounds to all visitors unless otherwise directed. Some military buildings (including 'pagodas') are accessible only on guided events.

For more local information, please see:
Orford Town Guide

Eating Out in Orford Guide

Accommodation in Orford Guide