73) Far Ings Nature Reserve, Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust, Barton- Upon- Humber, DN18 5RG

Far Ings Nature Reserve is located on the south bank of the river Humber , in an area called Barton-Upon-Humber. The site is operated by the Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust.
https://www.lincstrust.org.uk/get-involved/top-reserves/far-ings

The area, reserve and nature here is a testament to the incredible work carried out by the Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust- turning an area that was formerly an industrial area connected with the tile and cement industry.

Some of the reserve is also flood plain for the Humber river. Before you visit do check to ensure the reserve is open.

Terrain and facilities on site.
A mix of marsh, mudflat, reed and meadow with paths meandering between the various former pits.

There are two car parks - one near the visitor centre and one near Ness End Farm, both accessed off Far Ings Lane.
Ness End Farm is excellent for wheelchair / mobility equipment users and has ample parking.
Handy too - that there is also a long hose pipe on a tap on the main farm building, which I used to remove the amassed dirt and mud my equipment had covering it!
I love Lincolnshire but would rather leave it behind and not take it into my van and home when I have finished my visits.

Parking at the visitor centre is also excellent but there is not a hose pipe if needed after your visit.

The reserve is free to visit and doesn't charge for parking, ample Blue Badge parking available on flat surfaces. Only guide and assistance dogs are permitted on the reserve. There is also a little linear nature trail.

The visitor centre was closed during my visit - it operates limited opening hours so do check-but does have a disabled toilet. It also states it has a small cafe. There is a toilet at the Ness Farm end too - though I didn't visit it to see how accessible it was.

Mixed, tarmac, grass path, dirt path.  Large gradual ramp up to the Humber embankment if you choose to explore this end. Note there is a slope to come down to re-enter the reserve at the Ness Farm end- but you will need a Radar key and it can be quite muddy- its a gradual dirt slope down. You can tour the reserve around the visitor centre then head out and right on Far Ings Lane to explore the Ness End Farm section.

Numerous Radar key swing gates to negotiate that are a little awkward if you are on your own. I looked at coming back up to the Humber embankment from the Ness End Farm end but is was too steep ands quite muddy. So I came back on the lane to the visitor centre car park. 

6 x viewing hides. Due to the amount of mud during my visit I was not able to access them all. I did check out the Scrapes hide, and the Target Lane hide. Both had disabled viewing points for wheelchairs inside.

I was really looking forward to the Scrapes hide as it has been a really good / reliable place to see the elusive Bittern. To get to the Scrapes hides you have to travel up to the hide via a grass sloped path, normally my Batec mobility device would manage this kind of slope but during my visit it was very muddy. Hence I got stuck mid way up the slope. I should of called it a day and turned around at this point - but that's not how I am wired sadly. I sat and tried a few different tactics to get up the slope with no success. Eventually after numerous failed attempts two bird watchers saw my problem and helped me to get up the slope. I spent several hours in the hide and was rewarded with a view of my target species - the Bittern...

The gate to the Scrape hide from the Ness End Farm end is also rather difficult to operate the catch.

I reported the issues I had experienced to the reserve manager - who offered the excuse that the reserve was made to be well protected from anti-social behaviour hence the gates etc Sadly he offered little in the way of how they (the LWT) might be able to improve accessibility.

What might you see here:
Bittern -if your very lucky. Water fowl, geese, water rail on occasions. ~Reed Buntings, many other species.