Martin Mere

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Martin Mere
Flamingos
Location	Lancashire
Lake type	mere
Basin countries	United Kingdom

Martin Mere is a lake near Burscough, Lancashire, England on the West Lancashire Coastal Plain. The mere is a vast marsh, around grid reference SD4115 that, until it was drained, was the largest lake in England.

Martin Mere was originally formed at the end of the last Ice Age, when water filled a depression in the glacial drift. Since then, its size has varied as water levels have risen and fallen. Active management of the mere began in 1694 when Thomas Fleetwood cut a channel to drain the lake to the sea. Further attempts were made to drain the mere in the 1780s, but effective drainage was achieved in the mid 19th century with the introduction of steam pumping. Farms and market gardens were established on the rich soils of the reclaimed land.

The mere is now the site of Martin Mere Wetland Centre, a wetland nature reserve managed by the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust. There is a large visitor centre with educational facilities, a well-stocked shop and a popular cafe. The Centre is home to over 100 captive species of rare and endangered ducks, geese, swans and flamingoes, which form part of important research and breeding programmes. There are many activities for children focused on the wildlife exhibits, as well as an adventure playground.

There are also 10 comfortable hides where visitors can watch wild birds. Over the autumn and winter months, visitors come from miles around to experience the fabulous spectacle of up to 15,000 Pink-Footed Geese flying in at dusk as well 1000s of Whooper Swans being fed from the Swan Link Hide (under floodlights when days are at their shortest).

The 2006 and 2007 series of the BBC's Autumnwatch were broadcast from Martin Mere.