WWT Arundel - Arundel

Address: Mill Rd, Arundel BN18 9PB, United Kingdom.
Phone: 1903883355.
Website: wwt.org.uk
Specialties: Nature preserve, Tourist attraction, Visitor center, Wildlife and safari park.
Other points of interest: On-site services, Picnics, Wheelchair-accessible car park, Wheelchair-accessible entrance, Picnic tables, Public toilet, Credit cards, Debit cards, NFC mobile payments, Credit cards, Good for kids, Playground.
Opinions: This company has 2098 reviews on Google My Business.
Average opinion: 4.7/5.

📌 Location of WWT Arundel

WWT Arundel Mill Rd, Arundel BN18 9PB, United Kingdom

☎️1903883355

⏰ Open Hours of WWT Arundel

Monday: 10 am–4:30 pm
Tuesday: 10 am–4:30 pm
Wednesday: 10 am–4:30 pm
Thursday: 10 am–4:30 pm
Friday: 10 am–4:30 pm
Saturday: 10 am–4:30 pm
Sunday: 10 am–4:30 pm

Introduction to WWT Arundel

WWT Arundel is a prominent nature reserve and visitor attraction located in Arundel, West Sussex, United Kingdom. As part of the Wildlife Trust and Wetland Centre network, this centre serves as a vital nature preserve, offering visitors a unique opportunity to connect with wildlife and experience diverse ecosystems. It stands as a testament to the harmonious coexistence of conservation efforts and public engagement.

Location and Accessibility

Nestled along the banks of the River Arun, WWT Arundel is easily accessible from the town of Arundel, situated in the county of West Sussex. The specific address is Mill Rd, Arundel BN18 9PB, United Kingdom. This strategic location places it within a short drive of major roads, making it convenient for both local residents and tourists. The site is thoughtfully designed with accessibility in mind, featuring a wheelchair-accessible car park and a wheelchair-accessible entrance, ensuring that visitors of all mobility levels can enjoy the facilities. Public amenities include well-maintained picnic tables and a public toilet, catering to the needs of families and individuals seeking a comfortable visit. Furthermore, the centre accepts various forms of payment, including credit cards, debit cards, and NFC mobile payments, adding to its convenience for modern-day visitors.

Specialties and Features

The core activities and specialties of WWT Arundel revolve around its commitment to nature conservation and education. It functions as an exceptional nature preserve, safeguarding the local wetland habitats and the species that inhabit them. For tourists and nature enthusiasts, it serves as a highly recommended tourist attraction, offering a glimpse into the natural world through guided experiences and self-guided exploration. The site also operates as a functional visitor center, providing information, resources, and services to enhance the visitor experience.

One of the standout features of WWT Arundel is its wildlife and safari park aspect. Visitors can observe a variety of birds and wildlife in their natural habitats. A particularly popular activity is the boat safari, which provides a unique perspective on the wetland environment. This experience is often highlighted as a memorable moment, offering not just sightseeing but a chance for quiet contemplation and mindfulness, as noted by past visitors.

Other Points of Interest

WWT Arundel goes beyond basic conservation and tourism, offering several points of interest that cater to diverse visitor needs and preferences. The on-site services are comprehensive, including a welcoming shop and a cafe that serves a range of refreshments. The cafe is particularly noted for its quality offerings, featuring a good cup of coffee and a diverse selection of sweet treats, including options for those following specific dietary requirements like vegan cakes.

Given its facilities and programming, WWT Arundel is also considered good for kids, with activities and spaces designed to engage younger visitors. A playground is available, providing entertainment for children before or after their main exploration activities. The compact nature of the reserve, despite its diversity, makes it easily navigable for visitors of all ages. The uncrowded nature, as experienced during peak times by some visitors, adds to the appeal, offering a peaceful encounter with nature.

Visitor Experiences and Opinions

The feedback from visitors consistently underscores the positive aspects of a visit to WWT Arundel. The general sentiment reflects a deep appreciation for the natural environment and the management of the site. The compact yet diverse nature of the reserve is frequently praised, allowing visitors to experience a significant amount of biodiversity without feeling overwhelmed by size.

Many reviews highlight the exceptional customer service received from the staff, who are described as welcoming and helpful even outside of official opening hours. The safari boat trip is a recurring recommendation, with visitors appreciating both the wildlife sightings and the serene atmosphere it provides. Even when bird sightings are limited, the experience is often described as a valuable mindfulness moment, emphasizing the educational and therapeutic value beyond mere observation.

The on-site amenities, particularly the cafe, are lauded for their quality. The availability of good coffee and a wide array of sweet treats, including vegan options, is noted as a standout feature catering to different dietary preferences. This attention to detail enhances the overall visitor satisfaction.

Conclusion and Recommendation

For individuals seeking a blend of nature conservation, educational experiences, and family-friendly activities, WWT Arundel is an outstanding choice. It offers a peaceful retreat from urban environments, allowing visitors to immerse themselves in the beauty of wetland ecosystems. The combination of diverse wildlife, informative visitor facilities, and welcoming staff creates a memorable experience. Whether you are an avid birdwatcher, a family looking for a fun day out, or simply someone seeking tranquility in nature, WWT Arundel provides a rewarding experience that aligns with its mission of promoting environmental awareness and appreciation.

👍 Reviews of WWT Arundel

Gavin J.

5/5

This reserve is a gem. It is compact, but diverse. It was also remarkably uncrowded for a late August Saturday. We saw quite a range of wild birds. I would recommend the boat safari. Even though we did not see a lot of birds, it was a true "Nature Watch mindfulness moment". The staff were very welcoming and helpful (even when we were among the last in the shop after official closing time). The cafe makes a good cup of coffee and there we a great selection of sweet treats (including vegan cakes).

Daniel W.

5/5

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 whilst in Arundel.

G H.

5/5

Set near to Arundel Castle, and indeed once owned by the Duke there, this delightful wetland area boasts a huge variety of international and local wildfowl as well as a wide variety of invertebrates. The education and interpretation boards around the site are complemented by the friendly and knowledgeable staff who go out of their way to help folk understand what they are seeing. The electric and therefore largely silent boat trip in the reedy channels is a must, and for £3 it's extremely good value. Being a couple of metres away from a Reed Warbler family was wonderful, and there was evidence of Willow Emerald damselflies as well a red eyed damselflies in profusion.
Pond dipping and a talk on the (hopefully soon to be breeding) Dalmatian pelicans for small people were nice touches, and in fact the whole site is very child friendly.
Café is also good value with a good range of food and friendly staff.

Tricia C.

5/5

Lovely place to wander round for a few hours with lots to see. The hides are well situated, I particularly enjoyed the sand martin one. The woodland walk was short but delightful.
Staff are friendly and helpful.
There is ample parking.
The highlight of the day, aside from the birds of course, was the boat ride.

Monica H.

5/5

We recently had a lovely family day out here staying from about 10:30am to 3pm— longer than I expected! Pond dipping and the boat ride were definite highlights for the kids, and really interesting for us adults because the staff were very knowledgeable and friendly!

We went in the first week of the summer holidays and it felt serene and not overly busy, although the pond dipping session we were in was fully booked and we passed people in our loop around the centre. They also had some children’s activities for the Dragonfly Festival.

Plenty of parking, fully buggy accessible and good cake and coffee at the cafe.

Kym W.

4/5

Lovely day out, haven't visited here for a few years and was surprised how much there is for children to do, there is a virtual bug hunt which was a lot of fun, boat ride and pond dipping as well as lots of birds to see, especially various breeds of geese and their goslings all around the pathways. Had a thoroughly enjoyable day.

Sue H.

4/5

Took my mum here n she loved it.
Cute nature reserve first few ponds are the busiest and the best saw a wide range of birds. Grabbed coffees n watched for ages was rather chilled. Were defo coming back
Wheelchair friendly
Clean toilets
Minimal WiFi
If u need to download any tickets online then do it before you get here

Andy W.

4/5

Spent an enjoyable afternoon here recently even though my family aren’t hugely into birds.

It’s worth asking when you pay to enter if there are any spaces left on the boats as that was a highlight of the trip for a few pounds per person more. The boat driver was very knowledgeable and pointed out things to see such as a peregrine falcon and pike.

Another highlight was the feeding of the pelicans at 2pm (although more accurately perhaps feeding of the pelicans and greedy seagulls!).

Lastly, the Spectacled Eiders were very pretty, the dozens of goslings wandering around were cute, and the small children’s playground was a fun 10 minutes spent.

It’s about 2.5km to leisurely walk around the entire WWT site, and whilst we didn’t eat at the WWT cafe, the Black Rabbit pub is just down the road if you’re hungry.