Walks
Sunday 26 July 2026 09:00 – 13:00
Meet at the car park (TN31 7TT).
Distance 8km, about 4 hours.
Walks will focus on seasonal birds and other wildlife of the reserve.
Walk routes will reflect weather, ground conditions and location of wildlife.
All walks are suitable for adults and accompanied children.
Please note that there are no toilet facilities once we have left the car park.
Past Events
On an extremely cold day, the glorious sunshine made it the perfect winter’s day for our first Guide in a Hide of the year.
As the water poured into the salt marsh, the birds came much closer to the hide and visitors had fabulous views of feeding Redshank, Dunlin, Grey Plover, Curlew and Skylark virtually all day. However it was probably the distant Kingfisher, with us for most of the day, which was a star attraction.
A massive 163 visitors came along and really warmed us up with their enthusiasm, knowledge and amazement at what they could see. We actually saw 45 different species during the day!
Thank you so much for coming. Next one is Saturday 7th February 10am until 3pm. See you then.
Walks
Sunday 23 August 2026 09:00 – 13:00
Meet at the car park (TN31 7TT).
Distance 8km, about 4 hours.
Walks will focus on seasonal birds and other wildlife of the reserve.
Walk routes will reflect weather, ground conditions and location of wildlife.
All walks are suitable for adults and accompanied children.
Please note that there are no toilet facilities once we have left the car park.
Walks
Sunday 28 June 2026 09:00 – 13:00
Meet at the car park (TN31 7TT).
Distance 8km, about 4 hours.
Walks will focus on seasonal birds and other wildlife of the reserve.
Walk routes will reflect weather, ground conditions and location of wildlife.
All walks are suitable for adults and accompanied children.
Please note that there are no toilet facilities once we have left the car park.
Walks
Sunday 24 May 2026 09:00 – 13:00
Meet at the car park (TN31 7TT).
Distance 8km, about 4 hours.
Walks will focus on seasonal birds and other wildlife of the reserve.
Walk routes will reflect weather, ground conditions and location of wildlife.
All walks are suitable for adults and accompanied children.
Please note that there are no toilet facilities once we have left the car park.
Walks
Sunday 26 April 2026 09:00 – 13:00
Meet at the car park (TN31 7TT).
Distance 8km, about 4 hours.
Walks will focus on seasonal birds and other wildlife of the reserve.
Walk routes will reflect weather, ground conditions and location of wildlife.
All walks are suitable for adults and accompanied children.
Please note that there are no toilet facilities once we have left the car park.
Talks
Saturday 14th November 2026 1.30pm – 3pm at the Discovery Centre.
Keith Palmer will enlighten us as to the lichens that can to be found in local neighbourhoods including within Rye Harbour Nature Reserve and will demonstrate the diversity of the lichen flora of the county.
The talk will be illustrated by copious photographs of many species while the basic biology of lichens and the diverse characteristics they show will be covered though the focus will be on fairly common and conspicuous lichens.
Having been a naturalist since the mid-1960s, Keith arrived at lichens in the mid-80s. A one-time member of the British Lichen Society he surveyedover the next decade almost all churchyards in Kent where he then lived and a good many in Sussex, creating lists from over a thousand sites. While his main natural history interests have moved on in the present century, he retains an affection for lichens which after all do keep still while you are trying to study them at close quarters and, what’s more, can continue to be studied during the winter !
These talks are for members of The Friends of Rye Harbour Nature Reserve only. There is no charge, though donations are gratefully accepted. If you are not a member of The Friends but would like to attend, please JOIN US and let us know.
Limited places are available and booking for members of The Friends will open at 8.00am on 1st October.
Please note that dogs (except for guide dogs that have been pre-booked) are not allowed at talks.
Talks
Saturday 10th October 2026 1.30pm – 3pm at the Discovery Centre.
Peter Hibbs will be enlightening us as to their history and purpose.
These talks are for members of The Friends of Rye Harbour Nature Reserve only. There is no charge, though donations are gratefully accepted. If you are not a member of The Friends but would like to attend, please JOIN US and let us know.
Limited places are available and booking for members of The Friends will open at 8.00am on 1st September.
Please note that dogs (except for guide dogs that have been pre-booked) are not allowed at talks.
Talks
The Waterlife Recovery Trust and our work around Rye Harbour
Saturday 12th September 2026 1.30pm – 3pm at the Discovery Centre.
This talk introduces the Waterlife Recovery Trust (a charity formed in 2022) and our work with partners to help native wetland wildlife recover by tackling one key pressure: the invasive non-native American mink.
Mink are highly effective predators and can quickly wipe out local colonies of water voles, as well as taking wetland birds, amphibians and fish. Around Rye Harbour we work in collaboration with local organisations and land managers to detect mink presence and remove mink humanely using remotely monitored “smart” cage traps.
Alex Rumph, High Weald Project Officer from Waterlife Recovery Trust will explain how this catchment-based approach works in practice, what it means for species such as water voles and ground-nesting birds, and how local volunteers can play a vital role in keeping waterways mink-free.
These talks are for members of The Friends of Rye Harbour Nature Reserve only. There is no charge, though donations are gratefully accepted. If you are not a member of The Friends but would like to attend, please JOIN US and let us know.
Limited places are available and booking for members of The Friends will open at 8.00am on 1st August.
Please note that dogs (except for guide dogs that have been pre-booked) are not allowed at talks.
Talks
Saturday 8th August 2026 1.30pm – 3pm at the Discovery Centre.
Presented by Cliff Dean.
“Dogs Hill Road” What hill? What dogs? Whether you walk, cycle or swim here, you may never have noticed its mysterious features.
I’ve lived for many years at the west end of the marsh and, since I arrive at the Nature Reserve from this direction, I’ve long puzzled over the features I notice.
This is not everybody’s idea of an “historic landscape” but once you start looking, you see a changing coast, battles against the sea, a vanished harbour, military defences, and a succession of dwellings from the improvised structures of early 20th century holidaymakers to the more recent gentrification, marking an astonishing transition from the barest shingle to a vegetated settlement.
These talks are for members of The Friends of Rye Harbour Nature Reserve only. There is no charge, though donations are gratefully accepted. If you are not a member of The Friends but would like to attend, please JOIN US and let us know.
Limited places are available and booking for members of The Friends will open at 8.00am on 1st July.
Please note that dogs (except for guide dogs that have been pre-booked) are not allowed at talks.