Bempton Cliffs
RSPB Reserve

Explore the RSPB nature reserve. Beautiful and dramatic scenery for all and a twitcher's paradise! We tell you what to expect from your visit, & what we thought of our own trip there...

We chose a cold, mid January day for our trip (slightly cold, but it was lovely and sunny...

Bempton Cliffs is an RSPB reserve. I do like birds, but am not in any way a birdwatcher, so had never really thought to make a visit here before, even though it really is just up the road from Ian's Dad's house...

...In the interests of completeness on this website, though, I thought we might as well pop along to investigate... I'm so glad we did! I really think we'd been missing out here!

• RSPB Bempton Cliffs reserve isn't just for birdwatchers - it has really stunning scenery and is a really pleasant cliff-top walk.

  I guess if you are a birdwatcher, the birds are just a bonus.

• You find the reserve through Bempton Village.

  (Bempton village is a really pretty little village in its own right - with quaint little cottages and a historic church to visit).

  Directions:

  • Turn at the White Horse Public House, and drive up a nice country lane for a few minutes (it is a single track road with passing places)
  • You pass the Bempton Chalet Park on the right. (These look a lovely, tranquil place to stay, if you just want to relax and unwind in a peaceful location, very close to dramatic, cliff top scenery).
  • The RSPB Bempton Cliffs reserve is a little further, on the left.

    (I have included a useful, interactive map at the bottom of this page)

• There is a quite sizeable car park here, with picnic tables outside, and lovely clean toilets. We were a bit unsure which direction to go in, when we got there, but one of the wardens called from the door...
• You access the reserve through a little shop/information point. I had read that there was a £3.50 charge per car (free for RSPB members) but we weren't charged anything. (This might have been because it was Winter?)...
• The small shop has lots of RSPB information, bird souvenirs, tea, coffee, snacks and even little tables and chairs to relax on. The staff were very friendly and knowledgeable.
• Dogs are allowed into Bempton RSPB reserve, but must be kept on a lead - the potential for disaster on these high cliffs is all too obvious! ...not to metion scaring the birds!






I'm keeping a tight hold on Ginger's lead as we admire the scenery



• The reserve itself is a cliff top walk with well-marked viewing points, that give an excellent perspective on bird activity on the cliffs themselves.
• When we were there, there weren't that many birds, other than some very attractive gulls with black wing tips. The birds are actually pretty close.

  Usually you can see:

  • Gannets
  • Kittiwakes
  • Puffins
  • Short-eared Owls

  In the Spring there are also nesting:

  • Guillemots
  • Razorbills
  • Fulmars
  • Herring gulls
  • Shags
  ...plus many others...




• This (to the right) is one of the main bird watching spots on the reserve...

  Not many about today!

  ...But a terrific viewing spot, nevertheless!

• Beware, I've been warned that in Spring the smell is terrible!
• In spite of not seeing many unusual birds, (but avoiding the smell, I suppose) we did enjoy some rather spectacular views of the dramatic cliffs, and vistas right down the coastline.
• The cliffs are very tall - I get vertigo, so did feel a bit woozy on getting quite close to the edge! Thankfully the fences are quite sturdy. Looking down, you see the waves crashing against the bottom of the cliffs - very dramatic!










• The coastal paths lead from the reserve in both directions. It is a very pleasant and mainly flat walk, the big attraction being to look down on the crashing sea, and enjoy the gulls crying at eye-level, high up over the sea.

I really enjoyed our brief trip to the RSPB Bempton Cliffs reserve - and definitely intend going there again, to enjoy the coastal walks, dramatic cliff top views, and maybe even see a few more birds next time..!

RSPB Bempton Cliffs Reserve on the Map

This map is interactive.

• Just use the + and - buttons in the top left corner of the map to zoom in and out.
• Use the arrows to move about the area.

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