How to Visit the Attenborough Nature Centre in Nottingham

Last Updated on 18th February 2026 by Sophie Nadeau

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Just a short drive from Nottingham’s city centre you’ll come across an oasis of calm. This is Attenborough Nature Centre, a former set of disused quarry pits turned into a haven for wildlife. Here’s how to visit the Attenborough Nature Centre, as well as what to know before you go!

If you are planning to spend a couple of days in Nottingham (and I highly recommend you do as it’s one of the UK’s best weekend breaks), here’s our suggested 2 days in Nottingham itinerary.

A history of the Attenborough Nature Centre

It all started with a happy accident! Nestled close to the banks of the River Trent in Nottinghamshire, close to the village of Attenborough, this spot was used as a gravel pit between 1929 and 1967.

The entirety of the surrounding area has long been used as an extraction site for sand and gravel. And due to high water table levels, once all usable material has been extracted from a particular spot, the remaining hole ends up filling with water, transforming into an unexpected haven for waterfowl and other birds.

During the 1960s, the reserve was eventually designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) due to its importance for breeding and wintering birds but it wasn’t until the 2000s when a plan for a nature centre building really started to take shape.

It was at this time that the owner of the site, the company CEMEX, expressed an interest in selling the site. With the help of famous broadcaster David Attenborough, whose family hails from the area, Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust was able to secure the 1 million pound funding required to acquire the site.

At its core, the centre was designed to serve as an educational hub and visitor gateway. Built with sustainability in mind, it reflects modern environmental values and was officially unveiled to the public in 2005.

Nature Centre

Once you arrive and park you’ll be able to access the nature visitor centre. Here you’ll find a café serving up hot and cold refreshments, knowledgable experts who are passionate about wildlife, and bulletin boards of the latest birding news in the area.

From there you can access one of the many hideouts, where birds can be seen in abundance. There are also clearly marked trails, some of which are suitable for wheelchairs and buggies, ensuring that seeing wildlife is accessible for everyone.

How to visit

The time of the year that you explore the centre will shape your visit tremendously. While lucky wildlife spotters may see a bird or animal out of season, this is generally what you can expect:

• Spring: Migratory birds return, and wildflowers begin to bloom.
• Summer: Dragonflies and butterflies flourish around the lagoons.
• Autumn: The wetlands fill with wintering wildfowl.
• Winter: Frosted landscapes provide striking views and excellent birdwatching opportunities. We personally visited in the winter and found that the winter sun provided excellent lighting for photos!

It couldn’t be easier to visit the centre, and best of all, it’s completely free! Open every day of the week, the centre is open from 8 AM until dusk, which obviously falls later during the summer than during the winter!

Parking is free for up to 30 minutes and for members of Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust, otherwise you’ll have to pay if you want to stay longer. If you want to visit by public transportation, then the closest station is Attenborough station, which is within walking distance of the reserve.

Birds you can spot

Thanks to its status as a nature reserve, the quiet ambiance of the place means that you can often spot more birds here than in the city centre or even in the surrounding countryside.

The best time to go birdwatching is in the spring and winter. In fact, bird watching is so fantastic here that there’s even a small corner of the visitor centre that sells binoculars! Here are some of the best birds to spot:

• Kingfisher: This is probably one of the toughest birds to spot as they fly very fast and they’re pretty small. I have only ever managed to see one and it was in Topsham, Exeter. Unfortunately it was flying so fast that I wasn’t able to capture it on camera!
• Penduline tit: The Penduline Tit is a tiny, acrobatic songbird best known for building one of the most remarkable nests in the bird world.
• Squacco heron: The Squacco Heron is a small, stocky heron known for its striking transformation in flight.
• Purple heron: The Purple Heron is a tall, elegant wading bird which is closely related to the Grey Heron but slimmer, darker, and more secretive.
• Swans: These elegant birds are not rare in England by any stretch of the imagination, but remain a majestic bird and easy to spot, meaning you’ll likely see one whatever time of the year you visit the nature centre.