Brockholes

Updated June 11, 2025

## Brockholes Nature Reserve: Floating Visitor Village and Family-Friendly Wetlands Near Preston

Brockholes is a 250-acre wetland and woodland nature reserve just off Junction 31 of the M6, on the floodplain of the River Ribble near Preston in Lancashire. It’s owned and managed by the Wildlife Trust for Lancashire, Manchester and North Merseyside and is best known for its award-winning floating Visitor Village, extensive walking trails, and big outdoor play spaces for children.

Online reviews consistently score Brockholes around 4.5/5 on Google, reflecting strong visitor satisfaction with the landscape, facilities, and range of activities. Guru

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## Location and How to Get There

– Address: Preston New Road, Samlesbury, Preston, Lancashire PR5 0AG, United Kingdom Short Term Rentals
– Coordinates: 53.7711639, -2.6272094 (as per your provided data), placing the reserve between Preston and Blackburn with quick access from the M6.

Brockholes sits directly off Junction 31 of the M6, signed from the motorway, which makes it straightforward for drivers coming from Manchester, the Lake District, or across Lancashire.

There is also a public footpath link from the Tickled Trout area (on the A59 close to the motorway junction) to Brockholes, which local guidance highlights for people arriving by public transport or combining the visit with a longer walk along the River Ribble. Wildlife Trust

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## From Quarry to Wetland: How Brockholes Was Created

Brockholes has not always been a nature reserve. For years it was a large quarry extraction site. The Wildlife Trust acquired the land in 2007 and opened it to the public at Easter 2011 after extensive restoration.

Key factual points about the landscape:

– The reserve covers over 250 acres (around 100 hectares).
– It has been regenerated into a mosaic of habitats including pools, reedbeds, grassland and woodland.
– It lies in the floodplain of the River Ribble, which means paths can be damp or muddy year-round; the Wildlife Trust explicitly advises sturdy footwear. Wildlife Trust
– Grazing is part of the management: longhorn cattle are used on parts of the reserve to maintain the habitat structure. Wildlife Trust

This restoration has created productive habitat for a range of birds, mammals, and invertebrates. Local attraction guides note water voles, otters, dragonflies, and birds such as kingfishers, herons and sandpipers as representative species that can be seen here. Short Term Rentals

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## The Floating Visitor Village and On-Site Facilities

One of Brockholes’ defining features is its floating Visitor Village, described by the Wildlife Trust as the UK’s first floating visitor village of its kind.

According to official and independent sources, the Visitor Village and associated facilities typically include:

– A Welcome Centre and information point
– An activity room used for school groups, community events, and workshops
– A restaurant/café offer; this is currently split between:
– Kestrel Kitchen (serving home-cooked dishes, including vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options) Extra Mile Guide
– Peckish, a second café with a more “street-food” style offer and an ice-cream cabin that opens in warmer weather Extra Mile Guide
– A playground and family-oriented paths starting from the Visitor Village Extra Mile Guide
– A gift shop and small retail space
– Free Wi-Fi and recycling / sustainability practices highlighted by the venue Extra Mile Guide

### Facilities That May Have Changed

A recent independent guide notes that some facilities, such as the ice-cream café and shop, have either closed or operate on reduced hours, while coffee is still available from the Visitor Centre.

Because this contrasts with earlier descriptions that emphasise the ice-cream cabin and expanded café offering, it’s reasonable to treat the older descriptions as potentially outdated. Before visiting specifically for food options or retail, it is safest to check the latest details on the official Lancashire Wildlife Trust / Brockholes website, as café opening days and the range of services can and do change. Extra Mile Guide

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## Trails, Wildlife Watching and the Play Areas

### Walking and Cycling

Brockholes offers several waymarked walking trails ranging from short family loops to longer circuits around the lakes and woodland. Guides describe: Out With The Kids

– Short, pram-friendly circuits near the main play area
– A roughly 1-mile family trail taking in viewpoints and sculptures
– A Meadow Lake trail around the main lake and floating village
– A longer discovery-type route that explores quieter corners of the reserve

The Preston Guild Wheel cycle route runs through the site, making Brockholes a logical stop on a wider ride around Preston. Out With The Kids

### Birdwatching and Hides

The reserve has multiple bird hides and viewing points, reflecting its focus on wetlands and open water.

Independent guides and review aggregators describe Brockholes as an excellent site for birdwatching, with a mix of waders and wetland birds, and regular sightings of species such as kingfishers and herons. Short Term Rentals

### Large Play Park and Family Activities

Your provided note about a large play park and activities for children is fully backed by external sources:

– There is a substantial adventure play area with climbing structures, a “climbing forest” and a zip wire, designed with different age groups in mind. Out With The Kids
– Families’ blogs highlight two main play zones, den-building areas in nearby woodland, and themed features such as story-inspired sculptures (including Gruffalo-themed and Viking-themed corners) on some trails. Ladybirds’ Adventures

This combination of trails and play structures is why many guides frame Brockholes as particularly well-suited to family days out in Lancashire, especially when children need space to run around as well as nature watching. Out With The Kids

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## Events and Seasonal Activities

Brockholes runs a busy events calendar throughout the year. Examples from recent years include:

– Pond dipping sessions aimed at families and children Out With The Kids
– “Nature Tots” sessions for younger children Wildlife Trust
– Craft sessions, open-air theatre, themed seasonal trails, and den-building or tracking-type activities described by local tourism partners and the site’s own promotional material Park
– Periodic artisan or vintage markets and festive events, such as Christmas artisan markets in the Visitor Village Extra Mile Guide

Because events are date-specific, any listings found in external articles (for example, Christmas market dates from 2021–2022) should be treated as historic rather than current. Always rely on the current Brockholes events page or Wildlife Trust site for up-to-date event dates and availability. Out With The Kids

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## Accessibility and Inclusivity

The Wildlife Trust provides detailed accessibility information, and Brockholes scores well in independent accessibility reviews. Key verified points:

– Footpaths:
– Most main paths are level and surfaced, and the reserve promotes itself as having a network of accessible trails and hides. Wildlife Trust
– Gates and access:
– Kissing gates on surfaced paths are designed to be accessible for smaller wheelchairs and pushchairs.
– There is a vehicle access gate beside each kissing gate, and visitors using larger mobility scooters or buggies can obtain a key with a refundable deposit from the Welcome Centre. Wildlife Trust
– Parking:
– There are currently 16 marked disabled parking spaces, roughly 125 metres from the car park to the Visitor Village. Wildlife Trust
– Toilets:
– Adapted toilets are available on the Visitor Village. There are no toilets out on the wider reserve. Wildlife Trust
– Assistance dogs:
– Brockholes has a strict no-dogs policy for the reserve to protect sensitive wildlife and grazing livestock, but assistance dogs are explicitly welcomed both in the Visitor Village and on the reserve. Wildlife Trust

If you have specific access needs, the Wildlife Trust encourages visitors to contact them in advance by phone to discuss support and plan routes that match mobility requirements. Wildlife Trust

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## Opening Times, Parking and Costs (and What Might Be Outdated)

### Entry and Opening

Several sources agree on the basic structure:

– Entry to the reserve itself is free; you pay for parking and any food or purchases. Wildlife Trust
– Brockholes is open most days of the year, with reduced hours around late December. Park

Official Wildlife Trust information currently summarises:

– Visitor Village & Welcome Centre: typically 10:00–16:00 daily, with variations at different times of year. Wildlife Trust
– Car park: generally open 6:00–21:00, with a shorter evening closing time (around 19:00) in winter. Wildlife Trust

Tourism sites and attraction aggregators also quote similar opening patterns (summer 10:00–17:00, winter 10:00–16:00), but some of these sources were published several years ago. Out With The Kids

Because opening times do change, older pages should be treated as indicative only. For the most reliable information, use:

– The Lancashire Wildlife Trust “Opening hours” page
– The Brockholes Nature Reserve page on the Trust’s website Wildlife Trust

### Parking Charges

There is a consistent structure across sources: parking is paid, and it is the main direct contribution visitors make to running costs.

– The Wildlife Trust currently lists £6 all-day parking, with car park hours matching the general reserve opening times. Wildlife Trust
– Other sources (family travel blogs and attraction sites) mention £5 all-day at various points and sometimes seasonal prices such as £5 in summer and £3 in winter. These are clearly older tariffs. Out With The Kids

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