A former golf course on the Lincolnshire coast, Sandilands, has been transformed into a 2km-long nature reserve by the National Trust. The site now features wetlands, wading pools, rough grassland, and coastal scrub, attracting a variety of birds including skylarks, short-eared owls, avocets, and curlew.
The new reserve is set to open to the public on Saturday, 26 September 2026. Birds such as little ringed plovers and avocets have already nested this summer, following the conversion of fairways and bunkers into shallow pools and islands.
Katie Scott, an area ranger for the National Trust at Sandilands, noted the transformation from the former golf course, which ceased operations in 2018. The project was funded by £2 million from the Mablethorpe Towns Fund, £1.5 million from National Highways, and £200,000 from the government’s shared prosperity fund.
The coastal reserve, which includes a community centre and cafe, is located within the East Atlantic flyway, a major migration route for thousands of birds. Highland ponies are planned for conservation grazing, and there are hopes to reintroduce the natterjack toad.