Cley and Salthouse Marshes

About Cley and Salthouse Marshes

NWT Cley Marshes is Norfolk Wildlife Trust’s oldest and best known nature reserve.

It was purchased in 1926 to be held ‘in perpetuity as a bird breeding sanctuary’. It provided a blue print for nature conservation which has now been replicated across the UK.

In 2012 an appeal helped purchase a further 57 hectares linking the two NWT reserves at Cley and Salthouse together, creating a single coastal reserve of more than 300 hectares.

Today, Cley and Salthouse Marshes is one of the country’s most popular birdwatching sites, attracting more than 110,000 human visitors each year. The six hides (four of which are accessible via boardwalks) give fantastic views across pools and scrapes that are specially managed to attract breeding and passage birds.

The award-winning visitor centre features interactive interpretation, regularly changing exhibitions, and a well-stocked gift and book shop.

The Simon Aspinall Wildlife Education Centre provides popular events, workshops, performances, guided walks and seasonal festivals.

The centre is named in memory of naturalist, Simon Aspinall (1958 – 2011) in recognition of his contribution to ornithology and nature conservation, both in the UK and abroad.

There is also a large café which serves tasty local produce and offers panoramic views over the marshes and coastline.

Sorry, no dogs on the reserve. Dogs are welcome at Cley in the decking and outside areas of the visitor centre but we do not allow dogs into the café area.