James Armstrong
Monday 15th September 2003, 00:01
From the RSPB Website:- www.rspb.org.uk
Cliffe Pools
The 230 hectares of Cliffe Pools is a mix of saline lagoons, freshwater pools, grassland, saltmarsh and scrub. These habitats have developed on old clay diggings and river dredgings. The RSPB will be working in partnership with Westminster Dredging plc to create a Flagship nature reserve and the focus for visitors to the RSPB's North West Kent reserves.
A wide variety of birds can be found at the reserve including 60 pairs of avocets. Great crested grebes, shelducks, lapwings and little egrets are all resident. During the autumn wading birds pass through on migration. Some remain in the winter and are joined by pintails, shovelers, teals and other ducks. In spring and summer look out for hobbies and nightingales.
Cliffe Pools are also home to a range of other wildlife including water vole and harvest mouse plus notable insects such as the scarce emerald damselfly, shrill carder bee, green hairstreak butterfly, and the recently re-discovered Maid of Kent rove beetle. Plant species include nationally notable species such as sea barley and annual beard grass.
Cliffe Pools is a developing reserve and in time full visitor facilities will be provided at the southern end of the site off Salt Lane.
Opening times
Please note that Cliffe is a developing reserve with much work still in progress. We would recommend avoiding the southern end of the site at Salt Lane, particularly at weekends. This area is still frequented by motorbikers, fly-tippers and others who can be hostile towards birdwatchers. Please also be aware of potentially hazardous fly-tippings and that deep water is also present on the site.
The place to see...
over 155,000 wading birds and wildfowl arriving from their arctic breeding grounds in the autumn. (This refers to the Thames Estuary as a whole).
Facilities at Cliffe Pools
Nature trails
3 (shortest 0.3 miles/0.5 km, longest 2.5 miles/4 km; public footpath to marshes (4 miles/6.4 km round trip).
How to get here
Temporary directions to Cliffe Pools. Take the A289 off the A2 near Strood. From the A289 follow the B2000 into the village of Cliffe. From Cliffe village follow the B2000 to a sharp right hand bend at the northern edge of the village. Continue down Pond Hill and Pickles Way, a rough but drivable track, which meets the reserve. A number of rights of way run through the site (see OS Explorer 163) Parking is currently available next to the church/6 Bells Pub within the village of Cliffe or discreetly along Pickles Way.
By bus
Stop at the Six Bells pub in Cliffe.
By train
Higham (3 miles/5 km), Strood (5 miles/8 km).
james
Cliffe Pools
The 230 hectares of Cliffe Pools is a mix of saline lagoons, freshwater pools, grassland, saltmarsh and scrub. These habitats have developed on old clay diggings and river dredgings. The RSPB will be working in partnership with Westminster Dredging plc to create a Flagship nature reserve and the focus for visitors to the RSPB's North West Kent reserves.
A wide variety of birds can be found at the reserve including 60 pairs of avocets. Great crested grebes, shelducks, lapwings and little egrets are all resident. During the autumn wading birds pass through on migration. Some remain in the winter and are joined by pintails, shovelers, teals and other ducks. In spring and summer look out for hobbies and nightingales.
Cliffe Pools are also home to a range of other wildlife including water vole and harvest mouse plus notable insects such as the scarce emerald damselfly, shrill carder bee, green hairstreak butterfly, and the recently re-discovered Maid of Kent rove beetle. Plant species include nationally notable species such as sea barley and annual beard grass.
Cliffe Pools is a developing reserve and in time full visitor facilities will be provided at the southern end of the site off Salt Lane.
Opening times
Please note that Cliffe is a developing reserve with much work still in progress. We would recommend avoiding the southern end of the site at Salt Lane, particularly at weekends. This area is still frequented by motorbikers, fly-tippers and others who can be hostile towards birdwatchers. Please also be aware of potentially hazardous fly-tippings and that deep water is also present on the site.
The place to see...
over 155,000 wading birds and wildfowl arriving from their arctic breeding grounds in the autumn. (This refers to the Thames Estuary as a whole).
Facilities at Cliffe Pools
Nature trails
3 (shortest 0.3 miles/0.5 km, longest 2.5 miles/4 km; public footpath to marshes (4 miles/6.4 km round trip).
How to get here
Temporary directions to Cliffe Pools. Take the A289 off the A2 near Strood. From the A289 follow the B2000 into the village of Cliffe. From Cliffe village follow the B2000 to a sharp right hand bend at the northern edge of the village. Continue down Pond Hill and Pickles Way, a rough but drivable track, which meets the reserve. A number of rights of way run through the site (see OS Explorer 163) Parking is currently available next to the church/6 Bells Pub within the village of Cliffe or discreetly along Pickles Way.
By bus
Stop at the Six Bells pub in Cliffe.
By train
Higham (3 miles/5 km), Strood (5 miles/8 km).
james