This new wildlife sanctury has been opened recently thanks to lottery funding and the hard work of lots of volunteers.  There are only a few really ancient landscapes left in the environs of London, and Rainham Marshes Royal Society for the Protection of Birds reserve is one of them. The land was brought from the Ministry of Defence in 2000 - it had formerly been used as a shooting range. Much of the original mediaeval land-form and marshland wildlife has been miraculously preserved and it constitutes the largest expanse of wetland bordering the Thames estuary.

The Reserve is of particular note for its diverse bird interest, its breeding birds and wintering wildfowl, wading birds, finches and birds of prey. On top of all this it supports one of the highest densities of water voles in the UK.You can see birds all year round. Visit www.rspb.org.uk/reserves/rainhammarshes for fuller details. No dogs allowed except for guide dogs in the actual reserve, but you CAN take dogs on the Thames riverside path, footpath and cycleway.