Spot Salterns at the Lymington-Keyhaven Nature Reserve
For hundreds of years, people have used the coastal lagoons of The Solent to trap sea water and create salt. Today some can be seen at the Lymington-Keyhaven Nature Reserve, which has boats and birds to spot and also a story trail called The Story of Salterns, Sea Monsters and Saving the Day.
The Lymington-Keyhaven Nature Reserve
The Lymington-Keyhaven Nature Reserve is an expanse of coastal lagoons, mudflats and marshes and an important nesting site for birds.
The mud flats look very different at high
Salt Production
To produce salt, coastal lagoons were built into salt docks, called Salterns, which trapped the sea water.
The sea water was left to evaporate and, once reduced to a salty solution, it was heated in metal pans until only salt crystals were left.
All that remains of this industry are the lagoons and this building, which was once a salt barn. You can find this between points 4 and 5 on the Story Trail map.
The Story Trail
The Story of Salterns, Sea Monsters and Saving the Day is a story trail that takes you back to 1832 and the life of a salt farmer as they meet sailors, smugglers and a huge sea monster.
The Paths
The paths are flat and easy to walk along with a range of surfaces.
Finding the Reserve
To find the reserve, follow the post code to Maiden Lane, where you can park. Where Maiden Lan becomes Normandy Lane, you will see this side road.
You can either take the small footpath on your left (next to the green bin in the photo)
or follow the road a little further and enter the reserve through this gate, which is where the story trail begins.
Visit the Lymington and Keyhaven Marshes Local Nature Reserve website
Further Information
Nearest Town: Lymington, near Christchurch in the New Forest
County: Hampshire
Nearest Postcode: SO41 8AF
Opens: Daily
Cost: Free
Where to Eat: Bring a blanket and a picnic.
Facilities: None
How Long We Spent There: 1.5 hours
Buggies: The paths are flat and easy to walk on.
Parking: You can park on Maiden Lane by the side of the road.
Cost of Parking: Free.
Wildlife You Might See: Birds and seabirds.
Information Written: July 2022
Ratings
Our visit to Lymington and Keyhaven Marshes Local Nature Reserve and the Salterns Story Trail in the New Forest is summarised below and you can add your own rating under ‘User Rating’ or in the ‘Add Comment’ section below.
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