Ham Wall Nature Reserve, Nr Glastonbury, Somerset
This 265 hectare wetland on the Somerset Levels has inspiring views over the Avalon Marshes to Glastonbury Tor; it’s home to a plethora of wildlife and if you’re quiet you might hear the plop of a water vole as it slips into the water, the splash of an otter diving in for fish, or the unmistakeable boom of a bittern. You might catch the exquisite blue-green streak of a kingfisher darting into the trees or the lightening fast flash of a hobby. In the winter months, this is one of the best places on the Levels to watch starling murmurations, though weekends get quite busy, so if you can, come during the week; it’s a spectacle not to be missed.
Stroll around the nature trails, take a breather at the viewing point, and have a lazy lunch in the picnic area afterwards. They stage events throughout the year, which anyone is welcome to join in – bug hunts, night walks, canoeing and at Halloween, a spooky Pumpkin Trail.
There’s parking, a visitor centre, loos and baby changing.
All information correct at the time of writing