WWT Martin Mere

“Sadly, a very mixed review. Visited, a dry but overcast, Monday in January. Well signposted and easy to find with plenty of parking. An informative modestly priced £3 booklet with maps and information about the birds. The main paths are tarmaced, clean and, again, well signposted. The secondary paths, were of grass, but surprisingly not at all boggy. A good selection of winter, wetland birds easily spotted from the various hides. The staff in reception and well stocked shop are extremely pleasant and helpful. However, it cost a shade under £40 for two adults and the booklet. That, in my humble opinion, is very excessive. The dozens of pink flamingos were crammed into a wire surrounded pen, paddling about in their own.....! The wonderful, modern cafe which can easily seat over a hundred inside and out , believe it or not, is only accessible to paying visitors, and stopped serving hot food at 2.30pm What a shocking waste of a source of revenue. And to be really honest the tea tasted stale and the coffee wasn't to brilliant either. I was told that they were ""thinking"" of trying to find a way to allow the cafe to be open to all, not just the paying ticket holders. ""Thinking"" Is there anyone there with some leadership skills? That cafe must have cost thousands to build and could create a decent revenue stream. Enough, possibly, to allow the entrance price to to reserve to be a bit more pocket friendly.”

“Today was my first visit. This place is brilliant for kids of all ages to explore wildlife, we saw many species of birds, ducks and geese. The facilities are great for wheelchair users and prams most of the grounds are easily accessible. My kids also loved the new splash walk and wildlife garden, as well as the splash area. Unfortunately we ran out of time and didnt get to use the play ground but it looks great. I think prices are fair as you can easily spend a whole day here immersing yourself in the wildlife and all activities on offer. We missed the educational sessions but would like to do them next time. The cafe is a bit expensive but nothing out of the ordinary these days, would recommend you bring a picnic as there is plenty space designated for this. Recommend a change of clothes and wellies for the wet activities. Will gladly return again soon!”

“A great day out. Plenty of parking available, including disabled. Friendly and helpful staff. My mother-in-law was able to hire a mobility scooter for £10 despite not pre-booking. Tonnes of ducks, lots of different breeds. Plus flamingoes and otters. We only got round about 40% of the place in our 4 hour stay so will definitely go back. Plenty of toilets. Refreshing that these were clean and well looked after too. A number of playgrounds and water play equipment. Lots of picnic benches. Cafe was expensive. In good weather, bring your own picnic! A well stocked (but also very expensive) gift shop. We pre-booked a boat ride, which was lovely. Canoes also available. We will definitely return. A great day out for all of us. 10% off tickets if you book online.”