Last March we decided to join the RSPB (The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds). We've visited our local reserve for years but with 170 places to visit all around the country, we thought it would provide us with ideas for some new places for days out.
A joint membership costs £60 per year, though you can opt to pay more if you want to as a larger donation enables the organisation to put more money towards saving wildlife. I decided to keep a note of all the places we visited over the year to work out how much we would have paid had we not taken out a membership, and discovered that we'd broke even within four months.
Sherwood Forest. There's no admission fee here but there's a £5 charge for the car park. It's free for RSPB members. £5 saved.
Bempton Cliffs. The admission fee here is £8 for non-members and a reduced price of £4 from November to February. We visited three times over the course of the year. £48 saved.
St.Aidan's. Theres's no admission fee but the parking charge is £4 all day. It's free for RSPB members. We've visited seven times over the course of the year. £28 saved.
Fairburn Ings. There's no admission fee but the parking charge is £4 all day. It's free for RSPB members. £4 saved.
We didn't visit as many reserves as we thought we might, mainly because dogs aren't allowed in the places we were interested in. It's also worth mentioning that we visited Bempton Cliffs a couple of times on an evening in addition to the times mentioned here, however, you're able to just walk out onto the cliffs when the visitor centre is closed so visitors don't have to pay. There is actually a public footpath around Bempton Cliffs so, in theory, you're able to visit free of charge at all times but we haven't tested this. We do always get challenged for our membership cards when the visitor centre is open.
Our membership also included the RSPB Handbook which details the RSPB reserves and what they offer. In addition to this members also receive the RSPB Handbook of British Birds and the RSPB magazine four times throughout the course of the year.
St.Aidan's is only four miles, and Fairburn Ings just seven miles, from our house and they were nice places to walk Archie, though he did have to be kept on his lead so we more often than not took him elsewhere instead. If we weren't going to visit reserves with a higher admission fee, such as Bempton Cliffs, the membership wouldn't have been worth it for us. We would have visited more reserves than we did if we hadn't had Archie.
We saved just £25 over the course of the year, mainly because many reserves aren't dog friendly so we were limited where we could go, though I have to say that the extras, such as the magazines and book, are very good. We haven't renewed our membership yet for this year but we've decided that we're definitely going to do so.
Do you have RSPB membership? What are your experiences with it?
The RSPB reserves in Suffolk are on the coast - not very near me now but close to where we lived at the smallholding although we didn't go often - always too busy which is a shame
ReplyDeleteWe don't have any memberships like RSPB or National Trust, because we have dogs, and like to take them with us when we go out, just as you did with Archie.
ReplyDeleteWe don't have an RSPB membership but do support other causes like the National Trust. I think you are well placed for all sorts of exciting places to visit and there's often a café to enjoy which give them even more funds for their excellent work. You have saved quite a lot over the year and have probably visited places you might not have done without the membership.
ReplyDeleteWe don't have RSPB membership but if you enjoy visiting the reserves I think it is worth renewing at least for another year.
ReplyDeleteDefinitely don't have a membership but would if we lived over there. I'd love it. Have another blogpal who has, and she's just been on an outing to in Minsmere very recently. She blogs at Sew Many Yarns. Enjoy your outings as the weather warms. Take care & hugs from Oz.
ReplyDeleteI used to have RSPB membership, many years ago now. I might look into taking it up again. Xx
ReplyDeleteWe were members until last year but now we stick to the NT and easily save money with that membership. We were always disappointed that we didn't see more birds. Bempton was the exception. Have you tried Old Mill?
ReplyDeleteDo you mean Old Moor? No, we haven't been there, it said dogs were only allowed in the courtyard and not on the reserve.
DeleteYes I did , I always mix it up with Low Mill where we took my class on residential visits. They don;t allow dogs which is why we no longer go
DeleteHere in the UK there are many worthwhile organisations like the National Trust, Woodlands Trust, RSPB etc that all do such excellent work. You did see a saving, which is always good news in today's climate of ever increasing prices.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed your photographs.
Sending good wishes.
All the best Jan
As you show it was well worth you joining. I'd certainly look at membership if I regularly visited such places but sadly I can no longer do that. xx
ReplyDeleteWe might have something like that around here but I have no idea.
ReplyDeleteWe had a National Trust Membership many years ago when we lived in Doncaster. We visited Clumber Park a number of times, so it was worth it. The park had a huge discount that year, making the membership worth while. Sadly there isn't anything like Clumber Park locally, so we haven't renewed.
ReplyDeleteI've never thought of joining the RSPB. My friend's Dad used to work for them, so I'd spend a fair amount of time visiting places with them after they moved up to North Yorkshire when we were teens.
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