Spurn National Nature Reserve

Please note: The Canal Scrape bird hide will be closed from Monday 18th March to Wednesday 20th March whilst we carry out repair work to our staff car park.

Big skies and ever changing wildlife make the evocative landscape of Spurn one of the Trust’s most iconic nature reserves.

Location

Spurn Head, south of Kilnsea

HU12 0UH
Hull
East Riding of Yorkshire
HU12 0UH

OS Map Reference

TA 419 149
A static map of Spurn National Nature Reserve

Know before you go

Size
327 hectares

Grazing animals

Hebridean sheep and longhorn cattle

Walking trails

Footpaths are open all the time (unless bad weather closes the nature reserve).

Access

Accessibility at Spurn

For safety reasons the nature reserve may on occasion be closed to the public in bad weather.

Dogs

No dogs permitted

When to visit

Opening times

Open at all times (unless bad weather poses a risk to visitors). Please see Spurn Discovery Centre for opening times of the centre.

Best time to visit

March to November

About the reserve

Spurn Point is Yorkshire's very own Lands End - an iconic and constantly moving peninsula which curves between the North Sea and the Humber Estuary. At over three miles long but as little as 50 metres wide, this landscape is unique and ever-changing.

Spurn has an extensive human history, leaving a legacy of fascinating but derelict buildings and hidden structures. But Spurn remains, and will always be, an utterly wild place. Always at the mercy of the elements, no two days at Spurn are ever the same.

Plan your visit

Nestled in among the ever-changing landscape, Spurn Discovery Centre is the perfect base to begin your adventure. With toilets, cafe, education hub, events and more, visit the Discovery Centre page to plan your visit.

Plan your visit   See Spurn tide times

 

Please note

In the scrub around the base of the lighthouse, and along into Chalk Bank, you may notice what look like tents stretched between branches, which are in fact the overwintering silk tents of the brown tail moth caterpillar. Whilst for many these caterpillars are harmless, they can cause itchy allergic skin reactions or respiratory issues for those with asthma or hay fever – so please don’t touch the caterpillars or the tents.

Environmental designation

National Nature Reserve (NNR)
The Spurn lighthouse on a summers evening. Photo by VisitBritain Lee Beel

(C) VisitBritain Lee Beel

Our award winning lighthouse

We’re delighted that Spurn lighthouse has been awarded the Lighthouse of the Year award 2023 by the Association of Lighthouse Keepers.

This lasting example of Victorian architecture was built in 1895 - guiding sailors around our coastline for over 90 years, until it was decommissioned in 1985.

We couldn’t maintain this historic Yorkshire landmark without the help of our dedicated and passionate volunteers – thank you for helping us keep the candle burning.

Our lighthouse is open every weekend, so why not join us for a tour and discover this culturally important building for yourself.

Plan your visit

About

Spurn is an iconic National Nature Reserve, famous for bird migration, but also for a wide range of other important wildlife and cultural heritage. Birds are the most visible migrants, but impressive movements of insects, including hoverflies, ladybirds, dragonflies and butterflies can occur.

A long, narrow, crooked finger of sand reaching out from the Holderness coast across the mouth of the mighty River Humber. This is Spurn, one of Yorkshire Wildlife Trust’s most iconic nature reserves. It is a wildlife-rich mosaic of beach, mudflats, saltmarsh, dunes, grassland, open water, saline lagoons and native sea buckthorn scrub.

Due to its prominent position, huge numbers of birds pass through Spurn during the year. The numbers and types of birds varies from week to week and is influenced by the weather conditions. The adjacent Humber Estuary is of international importance for its vast numbers of wildfowl and wading birds, which can be seen on passage in spring and autumn and during the winter.

Spurn is similarly rich in other wildlife but this may not be obvious at first glance. Plants are the first feature noticed, with the marram grass-topped dunes interspersed with stunted elder and orange-berried seabuckthorn bushes. On the Humber side of Spurn, a strip of saltmarsh exists between the land and the mudflats, supporting colourful flowering plants including sea lavender, sea aster and sea rocket, along with common glasswort and eel grass. Curlew, grey plover and knot use the saltmarsh to roost at high tide. Look out for merlin and peregrine which cause panic among the flocks of roosting wading birds when they start to hunt. Shelduck and brent geese are conspicuous on the mudflats during the winter.

In spring and summer a range of wildflowers appear in the grassland areas which the Trust manages by grazing with sheep and cattle, and also by cutting.

Magenta pyramidal orchids grow here and closer inspection of short grass may reveal the rare suffocated clover. Sea holly grows amongst the dunes.

Roe deer are a regular sight in these grassy areas, particularly early in the morning, which is also a good time to see a fox. A look over the sea will not only reveal passing seabirds including locally breeding little tern in the summer but also a chance of a harbour porpoise or even a minke whale.

Seasonal highlights

  • Spring: Birds - Whimbrel; Wheatear; Ring ouzel; Plants - Scurvy grass
  • Summer: Invertebrates - Red-veined darter; Birds - Little tern; Mammals - Harbour Porpouise; Plants - Suffocated clover
  • Autumn: Birds - Woodcock; Wryneck; Whinchat; Yellow-browed warbler; Great grey shrike
  • Winter: Birds - Brent goose; Shelduck; Merlin; Snow bunting; Mammals - Harbour seal

Directions by car or public transport

Public transport
Catch the number 71 Spurn Explorer bus from Hull Interchange to Easington/Withernsea on weekends and bank holidays and get off directly outside the Spurn Discovery Centre.

View timetable

By car
Follow the A1033 from Hull to Patrington. Turn off (right) to the B1445 towards Easington and Kilnsea. Turn right at the T junction in Easington and continue along the minor road to Kilnsea. Turn right at the crossroads towards the Spurn Discovery Centre. Car park is on your left.

Drones, kites and other filming

Please remember that this is a nature reserve and that it is managed first and foremost for the wildlife that lives here. As part of the Humber SSSI/SPA/SAC, Spurn Point is legally protected for its breeding, migrating, and wintering bird populations. For this reason, we do not permit activities – for example, kite flying – that might disturb the species that make this place so special.

If you are interested in taking commercial photographs or filming at Spurn, please contact us via the webform available on our filming enquiry page.

Please note that it is not permitted to use drones at Spurn without a license from Natural England. Further information is available here.
 

Tide times

Jutting out into the mouth of the Humber, Spurn is very much exposed to the elements. Visitors should be aware that there is a 1km 'washover' section of sand which is covered by water at high tide, effectively cutting the end of the peninsula off from the mainland, creating Yorkshire's first 'island'!

Strong currents and soft sand underfoot mean that it is very dangerous to enter the water over the washover section (marked 'Danger' on the map below) – please do not make any attempt to cross the wash-over until all the water has gone. Make sure you get the most out of your day by checking the tide times carefully before you go and pay close attention to the latest information on display once you get there.

Reserve map

Click the map below to zoom in.

Dog on beach

Walking your dog at Spurn

We're happy to welcome dogs to certain areas of Spurn, but we restrict access to other areas. We've explained why some areas are off-limits, and given you some ideas for dog-friendly walks which still allow you to enjoy the Spurn experience!

Why are some areas of Spurn restricted to dogs?

We know most dog owners are conscientious, and will keep their dogs on leads and pick up their dog poo. However, even the most well-behaved dogs can cause upsets in the natural environment. Here's why:

  • Dogs are a disturbance to birds. Spurn is home to a fabulous array of protected birds and other species. These animals are increasingly threatened, so protecting areas of land like Spurn, where they can thrive, is really important.
  • Spurn National Nature Reserve is a designated Site of Special Scientific Interest. This means that, by law, we have to ensure the delicate ecosystems of the reserve are kept in balance. Dogs can upset this balance by rooting around undergrowth and disturbing animals. Dog poo can change the quality of the soil, which can encourage the wrong sorts of plants to grow.
  • We have livestock grazing our land. Not only can dogs disturb or even threaten livestock, there are several nasty diseases which can be transmitted to sheep and cattle via dog poo. At the same time, seal poo can infect dogs with similar nasty illnesses.

Where can I walk my dog?

We're more than happy to welcome canine friends into our Spurn Discovery Centre, so please drop by for a visit! Look out for signs on the reserve which show you where you're able to walk your dog.

If you're after a good beach walk, you can head north from the Discovery Centre along the beach. Enjoy the sea air, big views and spot wildlife on the cliffs and in the water. Just turn around and head back for a cuppa when you're ready!

If you want a circular walk, you can do the Kilnsea Wetlands trail. Head north towards the Blue Bell and continue along Beacon Lane. Then follow the cut paths to the historic sound mirror and Kilnsea Wetlands. See waders, wildfowl and views over Kilnsea. Walk for a short distance along the grass verge until you reach Kilnsea village, and continue back along the path to the Discovery Centre. You'll need to keep your dog on a lead for this walk.

Where's off-limits for my dog?

You can't walk your dog down to Spurn Point, which is part of Spurn National Nature Reserve. There's a gate as you walk towards Spurn Point from the Discovery Centre - this is where the National Nature Reserve starts. You can't take your dog beyond this point.

If you have any further questions, please contact the team based at Spurn Discovery Centre on 01964 650144.

Nearby

Make a full day of your adventure and take the opportunity to explore and enjoy other wild places close by.