Hanningfield Reservoir Visitor Centre
Telephone: 01268 711001
Email: Click here
Opening: Daily, 9am-5pm
Address: Hawkswood Road , Downham, Billericay, Essex, CM11 1WT
Grid ref: TQ 725 971
A warm welcome will always greet you at Hanningfield reservoir visitor centre.The visitor centre is set in mature woodland and offers superb views over the 870 acre Hanningfield Reservoir.
It is an ideal place to view the wildlife within the nature reserve and to receive the latest sightings news. The centre has full disabled access as does the Lyster Bird hide that is a short distance away.
There are lots of gifts in the centre shop and a full range of binoculars and telescopes as well as books and refreshments. So while you're enjoying a nice warming drink you can take time to enjoy the stunning view over the water and browse the display.
For more about the visitor centre click here
Booking is essential for most centre events, so make sure you call or visit the centre in advance to avoid disappointment.
Cancellation of Events: If we cancel an event your donation relating to the event will be refunded. If you cancel an event booking more than 48 hours beforehand and ask for your donation to be refunded or transferred to an alternative event, we will be happy to do so. If you cancel an event booking less than 48 hours beforehand please do not ask for your donation to be refunded, because by then we will be committed to run the event and unable to fill your place/s.
View our upcoming events for February 2012
Mon 13th Feb 2012 10:00-12:00 Hedgehog Club Join the new Hanningfield Hedgehogs Club and enjoy themed wildlife activities on the nature reserve. This event is for 4 - 8 year olds, and children must be accompanied by an adult. £5 donation per child. Tue 14th Feb 2012 10:00-12:00 Hatchlings Club 14th Feb 2012 Come and join the Hanningfield Hatchlings. Fortnightly pre-school group for the under 5's including wildlife activities on the nature reserve, games, crafts and music in the centre. Drink and snack included. £5 donation per child, £3 per sibling, babes in arms free. Wed 15th Feb 2012 10:30-15:00 Hawks Club 15th Feb 2012 Enjoy a day of themed wildlife activities on the nature reserve with other Hanningfield Hawks. Hawks Club is for 8 - 12 year olds, and children may be unaccompanied. £10 donation per child. Thu 16th Feb 2012 10:00-15:00 Green Bunch 16th Feb 2012 Join our group of young volunteers, aged 11 - 18, and take part in practical conservation work to help manage our reserve. Free. Sun 19th Feb 2012 11:00-13:00 Build a Bird Box Drop In Session As part of National Nest Box week we are holding a 'build a bird box activity'. Fun for the kids and fantastic for our feathered friends! £5 per box. Sun 26th Feb 2012 10:00-13:00 Walks throughout 2012 Join our friendly group for monthly walks on the 3rd or 4th Sunday of every month, as well as summer evening walks. Minimum of 15 walks a year. All walks are between 5-10 miles and all include one of the 87 Essex Wildlife Trust nature reserves, mostly in the south of Essex. Membership is only £10 donation per year (£15 joint), and then £2 donation per walk. All profits go to Essex Wildlife Trust. For more details please contact Hanningfield Reservoir Visitor Centre. Tue 28th Feb 2012 10:00-12:00 Hatchlings Club 28th Feb 2012 Come and join the Hanningfield Hatchlings. Fortnightly pre-school group for the under 5's including wildlife activities on the nature reserve, games, crafts and music in the centre. Drink and snack included. £5 donation per child, £3 per sibling, babes in arms free. 14:00-16:00 Afternoon Tea at the 'Res' Come and join us for afternoon tea at the reservoir. In this coffee afternoon we will be promoting fair-trade products as part of fair-trade fortnight. The plan is to make this a regular event giving people a chance to come along in an informal, relaxed atmosphere and meet other like minded folk for a good natter! You, and your ideas on how we can make this afternoon work as a regular event at Hanningfield, are extremely welcome! £1 donation (tea and biscuits included). Tue 13th Mar 2012 10:00-12:00 Hatchlings Club 13th March 2012 Come and join the Hanningfield Hatchlings. Fortnightly pre-school group for the under 5's including wildlife activities on the nature reserve, games, crafts and music in the centre. Drink and snack included. £5 donation per child, £3 per sibling, babes in arms free. Sat 17th Mar 2012 10:00-16:00 Photography Workshop Level 1 Know the Basics Confused by aperture, shutter speed and ISO? Don't know your Program Mode from your White Balance? This one-day workshop with Daniel Bridge guides you through the basics of photography, allowing you to take full control of your camera. £40 per person. Sun 25th Mar 2012 10:00-16:00 'All about Birds!' Our advisor will be available to discuss all aspects of bird care including feeding, nest boxes and what to do with casualties. Additionally, David Petts is doing an Introduction to Birds walk from 10am - 12.30pm for which you need to book in advance and David Bailes is running an optics day so you can choose which binoculars to watch those birds with! £5 per person for Introduction to Birds Walk. Tue 27th Mar 2012 10:00-12:00 Hatchlings Club 27th March 2012 Come and join the Hanningfield Hatchlings. Fortnightly pre-school group for the under 5's including wildlife activities on the nature reserve, games, crafts and music in the centre. Drink and snack included. £5 donation per child, £3 per sibling, babes in arms free. Sun 1st Apr 2012 11:00-16:00 Easter Craft Fair There will be a selection of craft stalls in the visitor centre. Why not come and browse through the stalls, have a walk on the reserve and then reward yourself with a cup of tea and a piece of cake on your return! Normal entry donation. Mon 2nd Apr 2012 10:00-12:00 Hedgehog Club 2nd April 2012 Join the new Hanningfield Hedgehogs Club and enjoy themed wildlife activities on the nature reserve. This event is for 4 - 8 year olds, and children must be accompanied by an adult. £5 donation per child. Wed 4th Apr 2012 10:30-15:00 Hawks Club 4th April 2012 Enjoy a day of themed wildlife activities on the nature reserve with other Hanningfield Hawks. Hawks Club is for 8 - 12 year olds, and children may be unaccompanied. £10 donation per child. 19:30-21:30 Owl Evening 'Owlwise' evening run by Phil Eckett. Come and find out about owls and see them in the visitor centre. £5 per adult, £3 per child. Thu 5th Apr 2012 10:00-15:00 Green Bunch 5th April 2012 Join our group of young volunteers, aged 11 - 18, and take part in practical conservation work to help manage our reserve. Free. Sun 8th Apr 2012 11:00-16:00 Easter Eggstravaganza Follow a trail around the reserve and take part in pond dipping and minibeast hunting. Return to the centre to collect your prize and make an Easter themed craft to take away with you. £6 donation per child. Mon 9th Apr 2012 10:00-12:00 Hedgehog Club 9th April 2012 Join the new Hanningfield Hedgehogs Club and enjoy themed wildlife activities on the nature reserve. This event is for 4 - 8 year olds, and children must be accompanied by an adult. £5 donation per child. 14:00-16:00 Easter Eggstravaganza 9th April 2012 Follow a trail around the reserve and take part in pond dipping and minibeast hunting. Return to the centre to collect your prize and make an Easter themed craft to take away with you. £6 donation per child. Tue 10th Apr 2012 10:00-12:00 Hatchlings Club 10th April 2012 Come and join the Hanningfield Hatchlings. Fortnightly pre-school group for the under 5's including wildlife activities on the nature reserve, games, crafts and music in the centre. Drink and snack included. £5 donation per child, £3 per sibling, babes in arms free. Wed 11th Apr 2012 10:30-15:00 Hawks Club 11th April 2012 Enjoy a day of themed wildlife activities on the nature reserve with other Hanningfield Hawks. Hawks Club is for 8 - 12 year olds, and children may be unaccompanied. £10 donation per child. Thu 12th Apr 2012 10:00-15:00 Green Bunch 12th April 2012 Join our group of young volunteers, aged 11 - 18, and take part in practical conservation work to help manage our reserve. Free. Fri 13th Apr 2012 10:00-12:00 Hedgehog Club 13th April 2012 Join the new Hanningfield Hedgehogs Club and enjoy themed wildlife activities on the nature reserve. This event is for 4 - 8 year olds, and children must be accompanied by an adult. £5 donation per child. Sat 14th Apr 2012 19:00-22:30 Wild Evening Out Enjoy an evening out on the reserve learning about nocturnal wildlife, including bat detecting and pond dipping. Campfire with marshmallows included. This event is suitable for 6+ years. £10 per person. Sun 15th Apr 2012 10:00-16:00 Basic Map and Navigation Course Even if you have no experience, by the end of this course you will be able to use an ordnance survey map and a compass. The morning will be in the classroom and in the afternoon you will be out on the reserve using your new skills. £25 per person. 14:00-16:00 Our Woodland Trees Join Bill Godsafe, the reserve warden for a lovely walk around the nature reserve learning about the woodland and the different trees we have at Hanningfield. £5 per person Sun 22nd Apr 2012 10:00-16:00 Photography Workshop Level 2 Beyond the Basics Discover how focal length, white balance, aperture and more can transform your photography. Looking at composition and subject matter, this one-day workshop with Daniel Bridge guides you to the best results from your camera. £40 per person. Tue 24th Apr 2012 10:00-12:00 Hatchlings Club 24th April 2012 Come and join the Hanningfield Hatchlings. Fortnightly pre-school group for the under 5's including wildlife activities on the nature reserve, games, crafts and music in the centre. Drink and snack included. £5 donation per child, £3 per sibling, babes in arms free. Fri 27th Apr 2012 16:00-21:30 Bat Ecology and Bat Analysis An opportunity to learn about the fascinating world of bats! The course will focus on the ecology of UK bats and is suitable for complete beginners or those who wish to know more about bats. Different survey techniques employed to studying bats are considered with case studies as examples. Analysing bat calls through the use of bat detectors and computer software will also be covered. In the evening there will be an opportunity to carry out a bat survey using bat detectors around the Hanningfield nature reserve. Leader: Adam Rochester: Venue: Hanningfield Reservoir Visitor Centre Requested Donation: £30 Location Hanningfield Reservoir Visitor Centre Please telephone Abbotts Hall Farm on 01621 862960 or email: admin@essexwt.org.uk for more information or to book your place. Sat 5th May 2012 4:15-7:30 Bats Birds Bluebells and Breakfast See soprano pipistrelle bats, take a walk to listen to the dawn chorus and see bluebells on the way, followed by a full English breakfast. £12 per person. Sun 6th May 2012 4:30-7:30 Dawn Chorus Day Come and experience the Dawn Chorus at Hanningfield. Join a guide who will take you around the reserve as the sun comes up identifying the different birds you will hear. Full cooked breakfast included. £12 per person. 14:00-16:00 Bluebell Walk 6th May 2012 Join Bill Godsafe, the reserve warden, for a lovely walk around the reserve looking at the carpets of bluebells. £5 per person. Mon 7th May 2012 10:00-16:00 Plant Sale 7th May 2012 The Chelmsford local group will be here in the centre selling a wide selection of plants at low prices. Teas and home made cakes. Normal entry donation of £2 per adult, £1 per child. Tue 8th May 2012 10:00-12:00 Hatchlings Club 8th May 2012 Come and join the Hanningfield Hatchlings. Fortnightly pre-school group for the under 5's including wildlife activities on the nature reserve, games, crafts and music in the centre. Drink and snack included. £5 donation per child, £3 per sibling, babes in arms free. Sat 12th May 2012 10:00-12:30 Introduction to Birds 12th May 2012 Join David Petts for an enjoyable introduction to bird watching. Spring is really in the air at this time of year and there is much activity on the reserve. £5 per person. Please bring your own binoculars. Sun 13th May 2012 4:15-7:30 Bats Birds Bluebells and Breakfast 13th May 2012 See soprano pipistrelle bats, take a walk to listen to the dawn chorus and see bluebells on the way, followed by a full English breakfast. £12 per person. 10:00-16:00 Photography Workshop Level 3 Close up and Macro Nature photography Learn how to use your camera to make fantastic pictures from the tiniest details - on this one day workshop with Daniel Bridge we look at equipment, techniques and how to find subjects. £40 per person. Sun 20th May 2012 11:00-16:00 Optics Day 20th May 2012 Come and look at our range of binoculars, telescopes, eyepieces, tripods and accessories and David Bailes will be on hand to give you the advice you need to choose the ideal optics for you. Tue 22nd May 2012 10:00-12:00 Hatchlings Club 22nd May 2012 Come and join the Hanningfield Hatchlings. Fortnightly pre-school group for the under 5's including wildlife activities on the nature reserve, games, crafts and music in the centre. Drink and snack included. £5 donation per child, £3 per sibling, babes in arms free. |
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