The Naze
The Nature Discovery Centre was built in 2016, funded by the Coastal Communities Fund and project partners Tendring District Council and the Naze Management Board. The centre includes a café, a shop, and an education room for school use and private hire. We run adult events and courses, children’s activities, school holiday events, as well as school and group trips and visits. There are also a series of nature or fossil-hunting walks you can take from the centre through the public open space at the Naze.
The Naze is a unique coastal landscape of outstanding geological, historic, civic, and biological importance. The eastern side of the peninsula forms the famous cliffs, fifty million years old and designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest, which draw fossil hunters and geologists from far and wide. As the most easterly peninsula in Essex, the Naze is also an important site for migrating birds and boasts a variety of habitats, both terrestrial and marine.
Plan your visit
Opening times
Open all year round open 7 days a week.
Winter opening hours:
10am – 4pm, 3 November – 15 February
Summer opening hours:
9:30am – 4:30pm, 16 February – 1 November
Christmas opening hours:
Christmas Eve 10am – 1pm
Closed Christmas Day & Boxing Day
New Year’s Eve 10am – 2pm
Where to find us?
Address:
The Naze Nature Discovery Centre, Old Hall Lane, Walton-on-the-Naze, Essex, CO14 8LE
Telephone:
01255 679379
What3words:
///honest.rainy.standards
Directions:
Facilities and access
Car parking and entry
There is a spacious pay and display car park just outside the centre run by Tendring District Council.
Tendring District Council car parking charges: 1 Hour - £1.50 Up to 2 Hours - £2.20 4 Hours - £4.00 All Day - £5.00, Tendring Residents Naze/Holland Haven permit - £30.00. Tendring Householder permit not valid.
There is a drop off point for coaches but no parking without prior consent given by the Tendring District Council. Coach parking can also be found at Bath House Meadow, Walton-on-the-Naze.
Continuous support of the Trust enables us to do amazing work for wildlife here at The Naze and across the county. Our members are incredibly important to us and make a real difference to wildlife in Essex. You can join Essex Wildlife Trust at The Naze or online.
Cafe
At The Naze Café, we provide a range of snacks and lunch items, from tasty sandwiches to delicious cakes, there’s something for everyone to enjoy during their visit. The Nature Discovery Centre offers indoor seating with stunning open views across The Naze peninsula and beyond to Suffolk, where you can relax and watch the local wildlife. Outdoor seating and picnic tables are available on our dog-friendly patio.
Vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options are available daily.
Shop
The Naze stocks a wide variety of souvenirs and gifts including fossils and gemstones, adult and children's books, wildlife care, toys, homeware and fashion. Why not treat yourself or a loved one to locally sourced honey or explore the coast with one of our fossil collecting guides?
Accessibility
Blue Badge holders may park for up to 3 hours free of charge. There are fully accessible public toilets both inside and outside the centre. All indoor spaces are wheelchair accessible. Please note that accessible access around the public space and down to the beach is limited due to uneven ground and stairs.
Visitors with dogs
Dogs are welcome at all of our outdoor seating located at the Nature Discovery Centre. Assistance dogs only are allowed inside the café and centre.
Dogs can be walked directly around The Naze straight outside of the center, along the beach and at our John Weston Nature Reserve.
Please stick to the designated footpaths and keep dogs on leads where required. Pay attention to the seasonal dog walking rules designated by the Tendring District Council along the costal paths.
Nature Trails
Geowalk
A 2-mile circular trail that explores the incredible geological history of the area and leads down onto the beach. The shore is full of geological gems; at low tide you can search for shark teeth and other fossils, or explore the rockpools to find coastal critters. Trail guides, including information about our local geology, are available in the Nature Discovery Centre for a 50p donation.
Walking Trails
There are various routes around the reserve, including a coastal path and direct access to the cliffside beach. The protected backwaters and local wildlife can be viewed from several areas around the reserve. Please call in at the centre to ask for details or to purchase a trail guide.
Site map
Emily
What to do
Discover
There is always something new and exciting to find at The Naze. As well as the naturally beautiful landscape to explore, we run regular events from our centre, so come and chat with us to find out where to go and what to see!
Explore
With miles of nature trails along the headland and the beach, The Naze is a great place to visit all year round for nature lovers and fossil hunters alike.
Events and activities
At The Naze, we run a wide range of activities, from early years groups to adult workshops, to encourage people of all ages to connect with nature.
What to see
The land at The Naze is a special and important place for many reasons, and it is a place where wildlife thrives, from insects living in the soft cliffs to the familiar barn owl hunting over the grasslands. The area forms the gateway into Hamford Water National Nature Reserve, an internationally important site due to the number of wildfowl and waders it supports, and it is itself a sanctuary for migrating and nesting birds.
Marine wildlife is also prominent at The Naze, with harbour porpoises out at sea, common and grey seals in the Backwaters, and a whole host of species to discover on the beach and in the mud pools, including crabs, scallops, and whelks.
The John Weston nature reserve is located in the northern part of The Naze. This nine-acre reserve is dedicated to the leading Essex naturalist John Weston, who was warden of the reserve until his death in 1984. It is an important landfall for migrant birds, including many rarities, and also attracts a variety of winter visitors.
The eastern side of the peninsula forms the famous cliffs, which are fifty million years old and designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest. The 70-foot-high cliffs are made up of London Clay, Red Crag, and Thames Sands and Gravels, and fossilised shark teeth, shells, and wood are found on the beach daily. It is a site where coastal change can be observed and clearly understood. The cliffs are eroding at an average rate of 1–2 metres per year. The section of cliff directly in front of the iconic Naze Tower was, however, protected in 2011 with the construction of the ‘Crag Walk Platform’, a 100-metre public access and viewing platform. Essex Wildlife Trust was a key partner in the project to protect this section of cliff.
Volunteering at The Naze
We are looking for enthusiastic people to help promote the work of Essex Wildlife Trust at The Naze.
Types of volunteering could include: office, shop, cafe, education or work parties.
Birthday parties
We offer a variety of fabulous themed birthday parties set in beautiful outdoor locations at our Nature Discovery Centres.
Schools and colleges
We believe in nurturing a lifelong love of nature at every age and stage of life. Our Wilder Learning programme offers opportunities for children, educators, adults and families to connect with the natural world. Designed to inspire curiosity and conservation, our programs are suitable for all ages.
Meeting room hire
Our education room is situated within our main visitor centre building, with easy access to our café. Equipped with tables, chairs, WiFi and a smart screen, the room can be configured theatre style or with table layouts. Accommodating up to 20 people, this is a great space to host a meeting or a small workshop.
