Pensthorpe Nature Reserve & Gardens

The Natural Centre of Norfolk and award winning must visit attraction for all those who love nature, wildlife and the outdoors. Children love feeding the birds, pond dipping, completing their very own Nature Quiz and discovering minibeasts on the Bug Walk before letting off steam in the adventure play area. There is plenty for all the family; the Red Squirrels, walking with birds in huge free-flight aviaries, the nature trails around seven beautiful lakes and spotting some of the hundreds of wild bird species.

You can also enjoy the stunning Gardens designed by Chelsea Flower Show gold medalists, including the

• Wave Garden, by Julie Toll -  a lakeside garden with meandering hedging amongs established oak, pine and silver birch trees and at it's best in late Spring and Early Summer

• Millennium Garden, by Piet Oudolf - at its peak in mid Agusut features bold drifts of colour perennials and grasses

• and also a Woodland Garden and Walk along the stream in the Butterfly Garden.

Get closer to nature in the bird hides and find out about our conservation programmes.

Wildlife includes 171 recorded wild bird species and many more as part of the Pensthorpe Conservation Trust's captive breeding programmes. Recognised as a breeding site for specieis such as Little Ringed Plover, Sandmartin, and Marsh Harrier, and also attracts Avocets, Redshank, Greenshank, Lapwings and Bittern, as well as a wealth of warbler species and other summer migrants.

The Cranery is home to 8 of the 15 species of crane in the world including the east African and West African Crowned Cranes, Demoiselle, Stanley, Sandhill and Manchurian Cranes as well as being part of the Great Crane Project to get the Eurasion Crane common in England again.

Then browse the large gift shop and have a delicious home-cooked meal in the Courtyard Café.

The Wensum Discovery Tour is a guided safari tour of the Wensum Valley and tells you about the history of Pensthorpe and Landscape. It starts with an introduction in the Wensum room and then you are taken on a Landrover Safari into the secret places of Pensthorpe including wildflower meadows grazed by Longhorn cattle and Norfolk Horn sheep, through wooded glades and quiet lakes all teeming with wildlife. Tours run at 11.15am and 2pm, however in peak times it could be 4 times a day to keep up with numbers. There is different admission rate to include this tour on your visit. See their website for details.

It was the host to BBC Springwatch for 2008, 2009 and 2010.

There are also various events taking place on certain days - see website for details.

Prices below are for entry to the reserve only. Different prices apply for including the Wensum Discovery Tour or for the tour only - see their website for details. Also note discount and Tesco vouchers cannot be used for the Wensum Tour entry fee.

Location: Pensthorpe Nature Reserve & Gardens, Pensthorpe, Norfolk Grid Reference: TF949290 Ceremonial County: Norfolk Map Link: StreetMap  Aerial photo: Google Aerial Getting there: One mile outside Fakenham just off the A1067 Fakenham Norwich Road. Access: FREE Car parking. Shop, Cafe, Viewing gallery is wheelchair accessible. Wheelchair and pushchair accessible trails. Website: www.pensthorpe.com  Other Useful Websites: Email: info@pensthorpe.com Address: Pensthorpe, Fakenham Road, Fakenham, Norfolk Postcode: NR21 0LN Telephone: 01328 851465 Opening Times: Open daily except 24th & 25th Dec. Jan & Feb 10am-4pm; Mar-Dec 10am-5pm Charges: Reserve only: Adults £9; Child (4-16) £5.50; Seniors £7.50; Family (2+2) £25 There are also joint prices for Reserve + Wensum Discovery Tour and the Discovery tour only, see their website for details Tesco Clubcard Deals accepted for entrance to reserve only. Nearby Locations: Other Location Pages: Notes: No dogs except guide dogs Photography and filming permitted for personal use only. Any commercial/stock library photography must be agreed in advance and is subject to a fee. Binoculars available to hire. Wheelchairs are available in the shop for use on site. See also our page Tesco Clubcard Deals

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