Westhay Moor National Nature Reserve

Westhay Moor is part of the mystical Avalon Marshes within Somerset's historic Levels and Moors. It provides a home for rare wildlife and a unique insight into thousands of years of shifting landscape.

Location

Westhay Moor,
Westhay

Glastonbury

Somerset

BA6 9TX

OS Map Reference

ST 456 437

Know before you go

Size

106 hectares

Parking information

Reserve car park at ST 456 437 is reached via the minor road between Westhay village and Godney. Disabled parking is available. PLEASE NOTE there is a height barrier on this car park of 2.1M. A £3 carpark charge will be payable per visit.

Bicycle parking

Bike rack available at the reserve. National Cycle Network Route 3 runs through the village of Westhay.

Grazing animals

Yes - Exmoor ponies and cattle present in summer and autumn.

Walking trails

Starting at the car park you will be met with the first signpost that will give you the choice of taking the 3km long Otter trail, marked by Otter footprints on way-markers, or the 1.6km Coot trail, marked by Coot footprints. Whichever trail you choose they both lead to the first hide of the reserve, the Viridor Hide, and following the Otter trail you will also be led to the Tower Hide, a great place to take in the view of reedbeds and wet woodlands of Alder and Willow.

Fancy a Guided walk?

Access

Access is along rights of way or permissive reserve paths only. There are some all weather paths but others can be very wet and muddy in winter. Several bird watching hides some with wheelchair ramps, see map.

Dogs

Assistance dogs only

Please note dogs are not allowed on the paths through the reserve, or in any of the hides. Dogs under close control are permitted on the two gravel tracks leading from the road (London Drove and Dagg’s Lane Drove), but please do not allow them to go into the water or undergrowth. Accredited assistance dogs are allowed in all areas.

Facilities

Bird hides

When to visit

Opening times

Open at all times

Best time to visit

All year round

About the reserve

Internationally acclaimed, Westhay Moor National Nature Reserve is one of the jewels in the crown of Somerset Wildlife Trust’s Nature Reserves and is situated in the centre of the internationally acclaimed and award-winning Avalon Marshes area on the Somerset Levels. Reclaimed from the remnants of industrial-scale peat extraction, and home to the largest surviving remnant of lowland acid mire in the South West.

It is a mecca for wildlife all year round but particularly in the Spring when bittern can be heard booming, and where tens of thousands of overwintering birds make it their home. It is home to 7 of the 9 UK breeding herons and has fabulous resident populations of wading birds, wildfowl and is home to otters, beguiling numbers of dragonflies and also raptors such as hobbies, marsh harrier, peregrine and the odd hen harrier.

Peat can capture a whole load of carbon so it’s becoming increasingly important as part of a broader effort for natural climate change adaptation in Somerset.

Natural England’s Shapwick Heath reserve and RSPB Ham Wall are also close by.

We’ve now created a full StreetView tour of two of the reserves in the Avalon Marshes. You can access a virtual tour from the link below! As well as viewing the virtual tours on your computer or smart phone/tablet you can also view them in a VR headset to access a fully immersive experience.

Virtual tours