[LozSanders]

For those of you that are familiar with Minsmere I would like to know if I would be able to enter the reserve before the opening time of 9am? only I've noticed with some reserves you can actually go around them earlier however I visited a local woodland trust reserve for a change the other morning and couldn't enter and now I'm wary! As I'm travelling there I don't want to be stuck there for hours as I like to go as early as possible on my ventures.

Any help appreciated

[Keith Dickinson]

The gates to the reserve are locked until just before the opening time so that you cannot drive into the reserve, but if you were to park at Dunwich Heath and walk down the coastal path you can enter the reserve from the seaward side, the public hide will be open, not sure about East hide though.
Lucky person, I've not been to Minsmere for about 5 years, itching to get there again.

[Ivan]

As Keith has said you can get to the beach and public platform at anytime. You then have access to the area around the sluice and can watch the levels from the dunes or the public footpath that leads from the sluice to Eastbridge. You can also see the reed beds from this path. You cannot enter the reserve until just before 9 am, this also includes the East hide and the north wall footpath. There are several areas before you get to the reserve where you can spend a couple of hours quite easily altho' this time of the year it will still be fairly dark. Westleton Heath and Dunwich Heath are open at all times as are the open areas of the dunes in front of Sizewell power station.
If you want anymore info on alternative venues PM me.
Ivan

[Peter N]

of course you can volunteer there- i've done it and it's great fun. It also means you can stay there and go bird watching any time you like. So you get the whole reserve to yourself.
I would highly recomend it.