Taking place at the end of half-term between May 30 and June 1, MSL, a Hastings-based digital heritage agency, is offering a series of four walks and talks giving a deep dive into the beautiful natural habitats of Hastings and Rother. Anyone who loves nature, walking and the outdoors and wants to find out more about how we can cherish and protect our local beauty spots should read on.
Of particular interest to anyone based in or near Rye is our nature walk at Rye Harbour Nature Reserve on Saturday, May 31. The emphasis of this walk is accessibility and we warmly welcome people of all fitness levels. This is the perfect walk for wheelchair, mobility scooter or walking frame users, parents with pushchairs and anyone who simply wants to take things at a slower pace.
The nature reserve is a brilliantly accessible destination with smooth, well-maintained pathways easing the way. When I visited, Aimi Riffat, wilder learning and communities officer, kindly showed me into the fully wheelchair accessible bird hide where you can feel a genuine sense of connection to the wealth of wildlife that makes this beautiful coastal and wetland location so special. I also chatted to Val, a visitor who loves the nature reserve as it offers “a level playing field” to mobility scooter users like herself, as well as having a lovely cafe!
On the day we’ll start at the Discovery Centre with coffee and cake, and an illustrated intro to the nature reserve’s vital work, before setting out armed with bird and wildflower spotter sheets and taking our time to appreciate the species-rich saline lagoon habitats.
As well as popping into the accessible bird hide, we’ll take in the picturesque red-roofed hut and a wartime pillbox. For those of a literary persuasion, there’s even have the opportunity to stop at one of the listening posts on the poetry trail to hear how nature has inspired the Rye Harbour Writers’ Group.
The other walks and talks in the series will be at Dungeness, Hastings Country Park and Bulverhythe. Each event includes refreshments and a talk from an expert guide who will shine a light on the distinctive ecology of each location and explain how we can work with nature to defend these precious environments.
For a wonderful day out why not book now and take advantage of our discount offer for bookings for two or more tickets?
Image Credits: Barry Yates , Paul Harris .