On Saturday 10th January we will be heading off on our first Coach Trip of 2026, to Far Ings National Nature Reserve.
This Reserve, on the south side of the Humber estuary in Lincolnshire, has been a favourite destination for our coach trips for many years but we haven’t visited since 2018. It’s a place where the unexpected can turn up as it’s on a major east-west flyway for migrating birds. In November 2015 a flock of waxwings delighted everyone and in April 2018 our photographers grabbed their cameras to capture the sight of the first ever Great Crane to appear over the reserve.
Far Ings NNR
Since then Bitterns have become established and breed there every year together with otters which may be spotted at any time – with patience and luck!
Pits created during the exploitation of clay for the Tile and Cement industries have now been flooded and together with reedbeds, meadow, scrub and small woodlands provide varied habitat for wildlife – and shelter for visitors.
The Viking Way, a public footpath along the Humber bank –in the shadow of the Humber Bridge – is a great place to watch birds on the estuary. At high tide, and when many areas of open water are frozen, birds often find refuge on the reserve where 2 of the lakes are kept ice-free owing to the presence of underwater springs.
There are many waymarked footpaths around the reserve which are level and accessible. Visitors can choose different trails ranging from half an hour to two hours which link up the 5 Hides and the Viking Way.
The Coach will park adjacent to the heated Visitor Centre which, with its sofas and plate glass windows, allows you to overlook the Reserve in comfort! It includes a small wildlife shop and a drinks machine (£2 per cup) but the energetic could walk 15 minutes along the Viking Way to the back entrance of the Humber Bridge Garden Centre which has a large and popular restaurant and other shops.
Far Ings is 90 miles from Rochdale, which may seem a long way for a short winter’s day. But the route is almost entirely on the motorway and we ought to arrive before 11am even allowing for a short comfort stop at Ferrybridge Services. The coach will depart for home at the winter time of 4pm.
A large scale map of the reserve with details about the accessibility of each hide and trail will be given out to each passenger on the coach.
The trip is open to friends and family. But please remind your friends that :
Our trips are run by our Members for Members. Everyone joins our excursions at their own risk.
(Our full statement on our liability may be read on our website Disclaimer – Rochdale Field Naturalists’ Society)
The Coach will leave at 9.00am, from Morrison’s car park in Heywood.
The cost is £20. Please pay your £20 beforehand by bank transfer : Sort code 05-07-67 Account number 60931963 and use your name as reference. Then email rfnsbookings@gmail.com to book your place. Please note your place is not reserved until you receive a reply to that email. Cheques should be made payable to “Rochdale Field Naturalists’ Society.”