Top 10 things to do at WWT Martin Mere Wetland Centre this Summer

Families can discover the wonder of wetlands this summer, with an adventure-packed day out at WWT Martin Mere Wetland Centre.

Here are the ten things you must do on your visit…

1 – Hand feed the amazing birds

Get up close and personal to amazing waterfowl as they nibble grain from your hand – it only tickles a bit! Purchase grain from the admissions desk on arrival – you won’t be disappointed!

2 – Check out the discovery hide

Be amazed by the open views of the mere and see the wetlands up close. Use the hide ID charts to identify all the birds you can see and hear on the islands. Look out for black-headed gulls, avocets, terns and all the chicks.

3 – Pond dipping

Between 1.30pm and 3pm, delve into ponds and see what creatures are lurking beneath. Can you find the slippery newts or dinosaur like dragonfly nymphs in this free activity? No booking is required to take part but it is recommended to come later in the session to avoid the initial queue.

4 – Go on a canoe safari

Grab a paddle and take to the water in the award winning canoe safari. Embark on the canoe via a self-service jetty and set off on your watery adventure searching for moorhens, mallards, fish, water voles and the illusive kingfisher. Open everyday from 11am to 4pm, you don’t need to book in advance and the minimum age is 5. There is an extra charge for this attraction, payable via a card machine at the canoe lodge.

5 – Find 25 giant ducks!

HELP! Some of Martin Mere’s ducks are lost and they need your help to find them this summer holidays. 25 giant ducks have been hidden around the wetlands and you need to find them all and identify their names in order to win a tasty treat. Collect your trail card from the information desk, explore the grounds to find them all – who will be the top spotter in your family? It is 50p per trail to take part.

6 – Build a den

Up by the canoe safari, how big can you make your conifer den? Put the branches together against the trees to design your own den this summer.

7 – Meet the otters

Adorable Asian short-clawed otter sisters, Belle and Penny are always putting on a show for you. They are fed twice a day at 11.30am and 2.30pm when you can hear all about what makes otters so special and what WWT are doing as a charity to help them. Definitely one NOT to miss!

8 – Take on the balance-beam trail

Go through the reedy ramble balancing on the beams as you explore Wild Walk. Immerse yourself in nature as you explore this natural area and fine wobbly bridges, stepping stones and you can’t really miss one of the largest bug hotels in the world! A fantastic place for relaxing, playing and looking for insects.

9 – Stepping-stones challenge

Are you brave enough to walk across the stepping stones without getting your feet wet?!

10 – Take on the zip wire in the adventure playground

From zip wire screams and scramble net laughs and treehouse trailblazing, the huge adventure playground is a total rush for ages 3 to 12. The play area is cleaned and disinfected twice a day so you can be sure of a safe experience. This does mean it is closed for a very short time period, but it’s worth the wait!

After such a hard day of playing and exploring there are a selection of hot and cold meals and snacks, drinks and ice creams available from Mere Side Cafe and kiosks for you to enjoy on-the-go to fuel your wetland adventure. You’re also welcome to bring your own food and drink and make use of well-spaced picnic benches to enjoy your snacks in the great outdoors.

The retail shop is also open to grab a souvenir, offering a gorgeous selection of gifts, fun toys, informative books and good value bird food and feeding accessories.