Cley Marshes named in Attenborough's top-ten destinations

A North Norfolk nature reserve has been named one of Sir David Attenborough's favourite places to visit.

Cley Marshes made the top ten alongside dramatic landscapes like the Galapagos Islands and Antarctica.

According to an article in The Travel, Sir David has spoken about the fragile environment at the nature reserve, which is managed by the Norfolk Wildlife Trust.

Sir David visited four years ago to open an education centre Credit: Andi Sapey

The broadcaster visited the wetlands in 2015 in order to open the Simon Aspinall Wildlife Education Centre, which is the main information centre for visitors to Cley.

The reserve is a hotspot for birdwatchers and nature-lovers, attracting numerous species throughout the year.

The Norfolk Wildlife Trust website says: "The water levels in the pools and reedbeds are regulated to ensure they are ideal for the resident birds, and reed is harvested every year to keep the reedbeds in good condition.

"The shingle beach and saline lagoons, along with the grazing marsh and reedbed support large numbers of wintering and migrating wildfowl and waders, as well as bittern, marsh harrier and bearded tit."

The reedbeds provide a valuable nesting habitat for birds Credit: Richard Osbourne

The other locations that made the list were: Far North Queensland, London, Wales, the Amazon Rainforest, the Galapagos Islands, Leicestershire, the Skeleton Coast (Namibia), Madagascar and Antarctica.