Hamford Water National Nature Reserve

Recommended by

Overview

Hamford Water NNR is a coastal bay on the Essex coast with habitats that include mud flats, marsh and sands. It is best known for its large populations of over-wintering birds. In the winter, you can see large flocks of waders and waterfowl, including dark-bellied Brent geese, black tailed godwits, redshank, ringed and grey plover and shelduck. There are also a number of birds that breed on the site, including nationally important colonies of little tern and avocet. The coastal grasslands above the saltmarshes support one of Britain’s rarest plants – sea hog’s fennel. Hamford Water is one of only two sites in the country where this plant is found, the food plant for the caterpillars of the nationally rare Fisher’s estuarine moth. The reserve is a good place to spot common and grey seals, which haul up on the sands in spring and summer.

Location

Walton on the Naze

About the area

Essex is full of pleasant surprises. It has the largest coastline of any county in England, with its fair share of castles, royal connections and scenic valleys.

Explore Essex

Hamford Water National Nature Reserve

Sign up to our travel newsletter

Get the latest insider tips and recommendations to make the most of your next trip

Hamford Water National Nature Reserve

Sign up to our newsletter

Join over 4,000+ travelers who are getting the most out of their trips