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Wow factor
Accessibility
Photo potential
Lodmoor
| Directions: |
From Weymouth town centre, take the A353 to Wareham. The reserve is on the left, about 1-mile out of town. The nearest rail station is Weymouth, and there is a frequent local bus service to Overcombe Corner, Lodmoor Country Park from Weymouth seafront (Kings statue). Grid reference: SY688809. |
| Accessibility: |
Open all year at all times. Trails lead around two sides of the reserve. |
| Costs: |
Free |
| Best time to visit: |
Summer |
Venue information
The large reed bed, open water, salt marsh, wet grassland and bushes attract many different birds. Bearded tits and Cetti's warblers can be seen all year. They are joined in summer by reed, sedge and grasshopper warblers and one of the largest common tern colonies in the southwest. In autumn, a variety of migrating birds arrive, including a good selection of wading birds. In winter, bitterns, pochards and tufted ducks can be seen quite close.
Venue verdict: The best time for photography is summer, when the terns arrive in numbers. It’s possible to get relatively close to the native birds if you’re prepared to sit and wait along one of the trails (take some food to encourage birds to come to you). Otherwise, long lenses are essential.
Ratings: 3