A hidden natural gem a few minutes from town.

WHAT IS THERE TO SEE?
Monks Wall Nature Reserve is a quiet wetland area to the north of the town. It is owned and managed by Sandwich Town Council for the benefit of its interesting and varied wildlife and as a public amenity.

The main attraction at Monks Wall is the bird life. In winter, good numbers of duck such as Teal, Mallard and Shoveler can be found, along with other water birds such as Grey Heron, Little Egret and Cormorant. These in turn attract birds of prey such as the Marsh Harrier and Common Buzzard.

In the summer months, visitors such as the Reed Warbler sing from the reedbeds and the Cuckoo can be heard.

As well as the bird life, Monks Wall attracts a range of butterflies such as the Marbled White. A number of different dragonflies and damselflies make use of the ditches and ponds, along with Marsh Frogs.

Monks’ Wall Nature Reserve is a 5-minute walk across the bridge from the quay in Sandwich and is ideal for seeing wild duck and other wildlife in a wetland habitat. This reserve recreated, from arable fields, traditional wet grazing meadows once common to the flood plain of the River Stour. The habitat attracts large numbers of wintering wildfowl and waders from the arctic that find sanctuary in the reserve, while breeding waterfowl and other wetland species occur in the summer.

The entrance to the reserve is off the Monks Way, near the junction with the A256. School groups are welcome and some already have on-going ecology projects on the reserve.

A wasp spider, and a common blue butterfly taken at Monks wall nature reserve by Dean Macey.