WWT Arundel — Attraction in Arun

This is a beautifully picturesque and outstanding WWT Reserve near Arundel with a host of things to see and do including Wetland Discovery Boat Safari, Wildlife Hides, Wetland Secrets House, Waterside Walk, Pelican Cove, Coastal Creek Aviary and Reedbed Boardwalk. The Wetland Discovery Boat Safari is an absolutely fantastic and beautiful peaceful ride on a boat through one of the many waterways at the reserve and these boat rides cost an extra £3 per person on top of the base admission fee into the reserve, which is extremely reasonable and during the boat rides you can admire the beautiful waterways of the reserve and also see wildlife such as Mute Swans, Pike and Mallard Ducks and there is a great narration from the boatman on what wildlife there is to see. The boat safaris run at various times intervals throughout the day and information is available at the reception with regard this. The boat safari is a lovely wonderful relaxing experience. There are great some walks around the reserve where you can admire some fantastic picturesque views of the reserve and the local area and during your walk around the reserve you can wander into the various hides such as the Lapwing hide and Sandmartin hide where you can catch a great glimpse of the ponds but also see Sandmartins, Canada Geese, Tufted Ducks and Pochards. There is a Duckery where you can see some further Wetland Birds including Emperor Geese, Hawaian Geese, Swan Ducks and Mandarin Ducks which look in great condition and well looked after. There is the Pelican Cove where you can see Dalmatian Pelicans which look wonderfully imposing and look amazing on the eye and there is talk and feed of the Pelicans where you can learn further interesting facts about them and also seeing them being fed is a great sight to see. The Wetland Secret Plant House you can see and smell some Wildflowers that are on display in there and it gives off a great wild aroma. In the Coastal Creek Aviary you can see Eider Ducks which are great to see. There is a pond dipping area which is great for little ones to look for insects and understand nature. There is other areas to mention such as the Wildlife Garden with great plant life to see. There is a cafe on site selling a great variety of refreshments at reasonable prices and there is a nice gift shop selling a variety of souvenirs at reasonable prices. Overall this is an absolute amazing and a thoroughly outstanding place to visit, which makes for a pleasant and relaxing day out. Definitely well worth a visit...

The centre itself is very impressive and large, with a decently priced gift shop full of notebooks, pocket money prizes and bird feed and handbooks and a spacious cafe. The entry prices are cheap enough for a few visits, but if you find yourself visiting more than twice, a membership would be a good option and is great value for money. As we visited around the Easter time, we were offered a trail to find the yellow rubber ducks and get a chocolate bar as a reward, which is great fun for the kids. There were also giant LEGO figures of wetland life which are currently touring the WWT centres. You can buy a map and guide which shows you the places to go and you can hire binoculars if you forget. There are plenty of information posts and boards about the ducks and birds you see, including their habitat, what they look like, characteristics and how many there are of them in the wild. The first area is a lake full of all of your usual ducks, mallards and coots, and you will find them dotted everywhere, but as you look closer there are more exquisite species. There are plenty of activities going on, such as face painting and crafts, as well as plenty of play areas have been built with a woodland theme for the children to let off steam. One of their hides has been recently renovated with specialist telescopes, a colourful interior as well as comfy seating to watch the birds fly past, although there isn't as much activity here as there is in some of the other hides. A nice place to eat there would be their cafe, overlooking the lake, but it is very overpriced and there are not many options to choose from. Overall, this is a great day out for the family as long as you bring food or choose somewhere...

So well cared for, this is a great place to see all sorts of Wildfowl. A couple of decades have passed since our last visit. The habitats and landscaping have developed and matured extremely well. Our grownup son was pretty sure that the landscape and habitat was already like it is now. Looking at my photos from 20-30 years ago, it is clear what a significant and sustained effort has created. The staff are wonderfully helpful, but sometimes unctuous, to an almost delirious or neurotic extent, especially the receptionist. I wanted to ask her to tone it down and stop talking to everyone like this was an amateur dramatic workshop on enthusiastic grandparents welcoming favourite grandchildren. It would be more suitable to speak to adults as adults.

One other thing that always detracts from the experience at WWT sites is the obvious clipping of wings. I see why it has to be done, but it does seem just as brutal as a cage or a chain. It makes the place more like a zoo. Since conservation is all about habitat and ecosystems, it is jarring to see pelicans next to avocets, for example. Also, it seems unnatural to force so many hundreds of ducks and geese into single areas next to the visitor centre. I would urge WWT to try to reduce their dependence on exotica and focus on migratory and resident species.

Despite these niggles, this was a wonderful day out and I am always happy to be there. The joy is in the calmness and the habitat, not fawning welcomes or...