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London Wetlands Centre

Barnes, London

Location Guide

A Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust site. More than 40 hectares of created wetlands in the heart of a capital city. In February of 2002 the centre was designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), supporting nationally important numbers of Gadwall and Shoveler duck. Opened in May 2000, the London Wetland Centre offers hundreds of thousands of visitors the chance to see rare and beautiful wetland wildlife just a stone's throw from central London.

Wildlife The London Wetland Centre is the best urban location in Europe to watch wildlife - designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) due to its diverse range of breeding wetland birds and winter flocks of Shoveler and Gadwall duck. In addition to attracting more than 180 wild bird species each year (including regular rarities such as Bittern, Cetti's Warbler, Peregrine Falcon and a breeding colony of Sand Martins), the reserve is a safe haven for 8 species of bat, 7 species of reptile and amphibian (including Slow-worm and Common Lizard) and more than half of all the UK's dragonfly and damselfly species.

Accessibility

  • Paths - The centre has level access and hard-surfaced paths with tarmac on main routes (and compacted gravel on minor paths)

  • Bird hides have Low-level viewing windows and level access to ground floor hides. Heated bird-watching observatory in main visitor centre

  • Lift access to upper floors of visitor centre, observatory and three-storey Peacock Tower hide. No lift in Wildside Hide

  • Free wheelchair loan (including one electric wheelchair which should be booked in advance)

  • Hearing Loop Fixed loops in admissions area and in audio visual theatre

  • Policy on dogs Trained assistance dogs only (i.e. Guide dogs). No other dogs permitted

  • Toilets Accessible toilets in car-park and visitor centre

  • Parking Free car parking on site. Tarmac surface and reserved bays for disabled visitors

  • Public Transport Direct to the centre from Hammersmith bus station to the centre between 9.30am and 5pm.

Daily Events from the Courtyard

11am and 2pm Free Guided Tours - learn how the centre was created and discover what wildlife lives here.

3pm Feed the birds - Join the wards as they feed rare ducks, geese and swans from around the world.

 


Further information Grid

 

Location:

London Wetlands Centre, Barnes, London

Ceremonial County: Surrey

Grid Reference:

TQ228771

Map Link:

Multimap

Aerial photo:

Aerial Photo

Route(s):

 

Best Times to Visit:

 

E-mail:

 

Website:

www.wwt.org.uk/centre/119/london_wetland_centre.html

Other useful websites:

 

Nearby Locations:  
Other Relevant pages:  
 

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Planning Grid

Location:

London Wetlands Centre, Barnes, London

Grid Reference:

TQ228771

Getting there:

Off the A306 which runs from the South Circular at Roehampton to Hammersmith, just minutes from the A4/M4. Once in Barnes follow the brown tourist sites.

Access:

Situated outside the London Congestion Charging Zone. On the banks of the River Thames.

Parking:

Large free car park, (you need to collect a token on your way out).

Facilities:

Cafe (serves hot food between 11am and 3pm), gift shop and art gallery.  Picnic area. In Focus optics shop stocking binoculars, telescopes and everything you need to watch wildlife.

Things To Do, See and Photograph:

Wetland wildlife, butterflies, wild flowers, buildings, reed beds and other activities.

What to take:

Telescope, binoculars, long lenses for when in hides, polarizer may be useful on sunny days when doing wider views. During winter months wrap up warm most of the site is outdoors.

Nature highlights:

Waders, Raptors, Wildfowl, butterflies, dragonflies and wild flowers.

Address:

WWT London Wetland Centre

The Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust

Queen Elizabeths Walk

Barnes

London

Postcode:

SW13 9WT

Telephone:

0208 409 4400

Opening times:

Open daily 9.30am to 6pm Summer (29th March- 24th October)

9.30am to 5pm Winter (from 25th October)

Late Night Opening every Thursday 5pm-9pm in July and August only.

Early closing 24th December last admission 2pm. Closed Christmas Day.

Charges:

Free to WWT Members

Adult £9.95; Concession (Students, Over 65 and unemployed) £7.40, Child £5.50 (4-16 years); Family Ticket £27.75.

All prices shown with Gift Aid, group prices available, (min. 12 people).

Photo Restrictions:

Commercial and stock photography must be agreed in advance and is subject to a fee.

Other Restrictions: Keep to the paths at all times.
Special Needs Access: Level access to all areas. Car park has reserved bays.
Special Needs Facilities: Disabled toilet in main visitor centre, free manual and electric wheelchair loan.
Children Facilities: During weekends and school holidays activities are put on for the younger visitor. Baby changing facilities.
Dogs Allowed: Dogs are not allowed in WWT Centres except guide/trained assistant dogs.

Please let us know any other information that we can add to the Further information and Planning Grids or page and any errors that you discover. Before making a long trip to any location it is always wise to double check the current information, websites like magazines may be correct at the time the information is written, but things change and it is of course impossible to double check all entries on a regular basis. If you have any good photographs that you feel would improve the illustration of this page then please let us have copies. In referring to this page it is helpful if you quote both the Page Ref and Topic or Section references from the Grid below. To print the planning grid select it then right click and print the selected area.

Please submit information on locations you discover so that this system continues to grow.

 


By: Tracey Park Section: Wildlife Key:
Page Ref: London_WWT Topic: Wildfowl & Wetland Spaces  Last Updated: 03/2010

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