A visit to WWT Wetland Centre Arundel seemed like the perfect way to start our day during a recent trip to Arundel, West Sussex. With Arundel Castle already on the itinerary for the afternoon, we wanted to include something different for the morning. The Arundel Wetlands Centre, with its stunning wetlands and diverse wildlife offered a morning of nature, making the ideal combination for a fun family day out.
In this guide, we’ll take you through our experience at the Wetland Centre Arundel, sharing the highlights of our visit and offering tips for you to make the most of your day there. If you’re planning a visit to Arundel, make sure this lovely nature reserve is on your list of things to do.
Contents: click to jump to a section
Getting to Arundel
Arundel is a charming, historic market town located in the heart of the South Downs, England. Its central location makes it easily accessible by car, with the town just under two hours’ drive from London via the A27 and A3. Whether you’re coming from the capital or elsewhere, it is an easy journey, making Arundel an excellent day trip destination.
If you’re traveling by train, the fastest route is from London Victoria, with direct services that get you to Arundel station in around 90 minutes. Once you arrive, the town and its attractions, including the WWT Wetland Centre, are just a short walk or drive away.
Arundel is most famous for its impressive castle, which majestically overlooks the town from its elevated position on a hill. The WWT Wetland Centre is on the outskirts of town, about a mile from the castle, making it a perfect addition to your itinerary.
Parking is easy, as there is a large free car park directly in front of the visitor centre and the wetlands centre.
What is a WWT Wetland Centre?
Having never visited a wetland centre before, I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect, but we were in for a pleasant surprise.
The WWT Wetland Centre Arundel is a beautifully designed, purpose-built wildlife sanctuary covering 65 acres of wetlands, lakes, and waterways.
The reserve is one of nine in the UK, managed by the Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust (WWT), a charity dedicated to the conservation of wetland habitats and the protection of endangered species.
It’s a vital space for wildlife conservation, focusing on species at risk of extinction, such as the water vole and various species of wetland birds.
Our visit to the WWT Wetland Centre, Arundel
Arundel Wetlands Centre is open every day (apart from Christmas) from 10am until 4.30pm. We arrived at 10am to make the most of the day. We booked in advance, but you can pay on arrival.
A boat safari at Arundel Wetlands Centre
Once we’d checked in at the WWT Wetland Centre Arundel, our first stop was the highlight of our visit, a boat safari around the Wetland Discovery Area. You have to pay £3 extra for the boat trip, but it’s definitely worth it.
The boat safari includes a 20-minute guided trip through the water meadows and reed beds. Along the way our guide chatted about the different wildlife and stopped to point out the different bird calls. She was incredibly knowledgeable and really engaging. Luckily, she didn’t seem to mind the millions of questions we bombarded her with!
Along the way, she also explained the centre’s significant conservation initiatives, including their efforts to reintroduce water voles to the wetlands to protect this endangered species.
Although we weren’t fortunate enough to spot a water vole, our guide heard one foraging in the reeds, so it must have been close! However, we did see a kingfisher, which was stunning and lots of other waterfowl, such as mallards, tufted ducks, and dragonflies.
The boat safari was a very relaxing way to start the day out. For anyone visiting Arundel Wetlands Centre, it is definitely a must-do activity, as it gives you a chance to see the wetlands from a different perspective and learn about the wetland ecosystems.
Exploring Arundel Wetlands Centre
After our fantastic boat safari, we continued exploring the wetlands centre on foot. The reserve is well sign-posted and leads visitors on a clockwise route through the reserve.
The centre is divided into several zones, each with different wetland habitats to attract a variety of birds. These include reed beds, lakes, forest and even waterfalls. The walkways are even paved or board walks, so are very accessible to all.
Click here for the WWT Arundel map
As a nature reserve, rather than a bird park, Arundel Wetlands Centre doesn’t guarantee which birds and wildlife you are likely to see. However, the centre creates conditions to attract as many wildfowl and waterbirds as possible. It is a very natural environment, rather than a zoo, so the wildlife can come and go as it pleases.
It’s also important to remember that the variety of birds you encounter will change depending on the season. Many species migrate, so your visit in spring or autumn could offer very different sightings compared to the summer months.
Arundel Wetlands Centre for children
If you’re visiting the WWT Wetland Centre Arundel with younger children, be sure to check out the enclosed areas where they can have a better chance of seeing the birds up close. These areas are more like a zoo or bird park.
One of these is the beautiful waterfall area, which is really pretty. However, my personal favourite was the Icelandic Lake Duck ‘n’ Dive, a fascinating exhibit that offers an up-close look at how ducks dive beneath the water’s surface. I was amazed to discover just how long a duck can hold its breath while swimming underwater in search of food.
The woodland areas also offer excellent birdwatching opportunities. Here you’ll find several clearings with strategically placed bird feeders, attracting a variety of small forest birds. It’s a peaceful spot to sit and observe the birds in their natural environment.
There are also bird hides scattered around the centre, which provide the perfect opportunity to get an up-close view of the wildlife without disturbing the animals.
One of the most popular areas for families with young children at the Wetland Centre Arundel is the World Wildfowl Area, where kids can feed the geese and ducks. It’s always a hit with little ones, offering the chance to interact with the birds. Unsurprisingly, it’s also a very popular spot with the birds themselves!
During our visit, the birds were particularly fortunate, as the grain dispenser was out of order and there was an abundance of grain scattered across the ground. The kids were all delighted to scoop up handfuls to feed the birds.
This area is home to a variety of relatively tame geese and ducks that roam freely. One of the most striking species we encountered was the endangered Hawaiian Goose, truly beautiful bird with distinctive markings.
Meadow Maze
Finally, we took a quick visit to the Meadow Maze, where visitors can search for bugs, butterflies, and other insects. It’s a great spot for younger nature enthusiasts. Although we’d noticed several bug hotels around the centre, we hadn’t spotted many insects until we ventured into the maze.
However, we did spot a few dragonflies, which are apparently one of the oldest living creatures on earth. According to our guide, dragonflies date back to the time of dinosaurs, though they were much bigger in those days.
Conclusion
Eventually we returned to the visitor centre for a well-deserved lunch outside the café. There is currently construction work underway for a pelican centre, which looks interesting.
The kids had a fantastic time at Arundel Wetland Centre. It’s the perfect spot for families to enjoy nature, take a leisurely walk, and appreciated the wetlands landscape. We all agreed that the Discovery Boat Safari is the best thing to do at the centre.
After our visit to the wetland centre, we headed off to explore Arundel itself including its magnificent castle. It was a great family day out, with a good balance of history and nature.
Have you been on a visit to WWT wetland centre Arundel yet? Please feel free to comment below.
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5 comments
Looks beautiful! Really want to go back and visit that part of the UK again, I haven’t been since I was a kid! #CulturedKids
I love the sound of the boat safari – sounds like a very special experience! We had a weekend in Arundel last year and it’s such a beautiful part of the world. I will definitely put this on my visit wishlist, I think the kids would love it. Thanks for joining in with #CulturedKids
Very timely article, thank you, we are looking at going back to Arunel with the kids soon! We’ve seen the Wetland 10 years ago but no boat trip, great to hear about the option these days! #CulturedKids
It’s definitely worth taking the boat trip. So much useful info on what to look out for.
I haven’t been to wetlands centre either, which is really very remiss of me. The boat safari looks great! Thanks for sharing.