Marton Mere Local Nature Reserve

Laura Harris
Marton Mere
Courtesty of Visit Blackpool

Marton Mere Local Nature Reserve is home to hundreds of species of wildlife, a remarkable achievement considering it was once a part of the local council’s rubbish tip! The transformation of Marton Mere has repaid residents and visitors to Blackpool with a sedate slice of back-to-nature vibes – a sharp contrast to the thrills of the high-octane seaside resort. The iconic site of Blackpool Tower looms over the trees and reedbeds, but from the nature reserve it is easy to feel transported much farther afield.

Easily reachable on foot from the centre of Blackpool, Marton Mere is free to access. A network of designated footpaths and bird hides make it an easy walk, with plenty of places to stop and rest or try and catch a glimpse of the wildlife. In the winter, be sure to look out for the long-eared owl, a much-loved resident of the mere! All year round, however, you’ll find  a healthy bird population making use of the open water and reedbeds, and, especially at dusk as the daylight dims, the odd bat too. For those more interested in fauna, orchids grow on the site and an afternoon is well-spent spotting these elusive and beautiful plants. For all of these natural accolades, Marton Mere is recognised as a Site of Special Scientific Interest.

Marton Mere serves as a tranquil edge to Blackpool town centre, and visitors will be rewarded by a moment of calm and peace – and prehaps an opportunity to let the nerves settle after a day at the Pleasure Beach! It’s certainly a spot to visit if you want to see all that Blackpool has to offer, beyond the picture-postcard icons. With its open water, grassland and scrub Marton Mere might not be what you first think of when you think of ‘Blackpool,’ but it’s certainly a jewel in its crown.

 

Off Lawson Road and East Park Drive,BlackpoolFY4 4XN View map
Telephone: 01253476344 Visit Now

What's on near Marton Mere Local Nature Reserve

DaDaFest International 40 at Bluecoat
Until
ExhibitionsCity Centre
DaDaFest International 40

Celebrating 40 years of groundbreaking disability and Deaf arts, DaDaFest returns for 2025 with a bold and unapologetic programme.

free entry
Eleanor Rees
LiteratureLiverpool
Eleanor Rees at Open Eye Gallery Liverpool

Launching her shiny new volume of selected poems in Liverpool, where much of it was dreamed up, Eleanor Rees will be reading live and also chatting about the production.

free entry

Where to go near Marton Mere Local Nature Reserve

Salisbury Woodland Gardens
Blackpool
Park
Salisbury Woodland Gardens

Salisbury Woodland is a an attractive green space, planted in the mid 1930’s to serve as a public recreation area as well as shelterbelt for Stanley Park Golf Course.

Fish and Chips
Blackpool
Restaurant
The Cottage, Blackpool

Built in 1856, The Cottage has been Blackpool’s most famous fish and chip shop since 1920. With an easy order button on the website, you can either collect, or if you’re a resident in certain postcodes they are offering a delivery service.

Blackpool
Shop
The Regent

Originally opened in 1921, The Regent is both a cinema and an antique centre, hosting over 50 stalls selling furniture, jewellery and memorabilia.

The Lawton Hotel
Blackpool
Hotel
The Lawton

Thanks to its lime green-painted brick frontage, this family-friendly guest house certainly stands out from the crowd in the centre of Blackpool.

The Ruskin Hotel
Blackpool
Hotel
The Ruskin

Sitting in the shadow of the town’s famous Blackpool Tower, this established three star hotel is popular for its handy location and family-friendly pricing.

Rhythm and Brew
Blackpool
Restaurant
Rhythm and Brew

Blackpool’s Rhythm and Brew is a traditional pub for lovers of modern craft beer and alternative live music.

Waterloo Music Bar
Blackpool
Music venue
The Waterloo Music Bar

The Waterloo Music Bar is a buzzing, characterful pub-slash-gig venue that sits proudly as one of the pillars of Blackpool’s live music scene.

Amaro Blackpool
Blackpool
Restaurant
Amaro

Tucked away behind Blackpool’s famous copycat Eiffel Tower you’ll find Amaro, a popular local restaurant specialising in classic Italian cooking. A great spot for families and couples alike.

Cask and Tap.
Restaurant
Cask and Tap

Looking for craft beer and real ale in Blackpool? Cask and Tap won’t disappoint, pouring from six taps and eight casks, forever in rotation.

Culture Guides

the artist
Music in the North

The outsiders, the oddities and the outrageous – we’re keeping it weird with a hot new batch of underground gigs about to hit Manchester, Leeds, and Liverpool.

A woman with black curly hair sings on stage in front of a red curtain
Cinema in the North

David Lynch, International Women's Day and Manchester Film Festival are amongst our cinematic highlights this March.

Theatre in Manchester and the North
Theatre in the North

DaDaFest’s 40th anniversary line-up, contemporary reimaginings and outlandish fringe, check out our top theatre picks for spring onwards.

A large sphere floats in a dark room with an ornate wall pattern, flanked by two arched windows and a checkered floor.
Exhibitions in the North

From precarious ceramics to photography festivals, spring is here and brings with it a breath of fresh air in visual art and exhibitions.

Poet Imtiaz Dharker. Photo by Ayesha Dharker
Literature Events in the North

It's like the Woolies pick'n'mix counter this month in live literature land – so much choice, we're not sure where to start digging in.

Classical Music in the North

Read our latest highlights from the live classical music offer in Manchester and the North, taking in a number of the region's most cherished orchestral forces and venues.