UK Ramsar Sites
Ramsar Sites are wetlands of international importance designated under the Convention on Wetlands. Sites proposed for selection are advised by the relevant statutory nature conservation body (or bodies) within the UK or the relevant administration within each Crown Dependency or UK Overseas Territory. UK-wide coordination and guidance is provided through JNCC. In selecting sites, the relevant authorities are guided by the Ramsar Sites Criteria set out by the Convention. Details of new Ramsar Sites are submitted to the Ramsar Secretariat on Ramsar Information Sheets (RIS) via the Ramsar Sites Information Service.
In the UK, the first Ramsar Sites were designated in 1976. Since then, many more have been designated. Compared to many countries, the UK has a relatively large number of Ramsar Sites, but they tend to be smaller in size. The initial emphasis was on selecting sites of importance to waterbirds within the UK, and consequently many Ramsar Sites are also Special Protection Areas (SPAs) classified under the various Habitats Regulations relevant to the four countries of the UK. Both within the UK and overseas, non-bird features have increasingly been taken into account, both in the selection of new sites and when reviewing the legal protection of existing sites
Further data and information on Ramsar Sites elsewhere in the world can be located through the Ramsar Sites Information Service.
List of UK Ramsar Sites
A full list of Ramsar Sites in the UK, the Crown Dependencies and UK Overseas Territories is provided below – the hyperlinks in the tables link to the relevant Ramsar Information Sheets.
A summary table of designated Ramsar Sites is also available, along with details of the latest changes to the UK Ramsar network.
GIS boundary data for Ramsar Sites in the UK, and a summary spreadsheet with further information on Ramsar Sites in the UK and its Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies, are also available.
Note that many designated sites are on private land: the listing of a site in these pages does not imply any right of public access.
England
Designated sites
| Site name | UK site code (RSIS code) | Area (ha) | Cross-border sites |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abberton Reservoir |
UK11001 |
726.2 | |
| Alde-Ore Estuary |
UK11002 |
2,546.99 | |
| Arun Valley |
UK11004 |
528.62 | |
| Avon Valley |
UK11005 |
1,385.1 | |
| Benfleet and Southend Marshes |
UK11006 |
2,251.31 | |
| Blackwater Estuary (Mid-Essex Coast Phase 4) |
UK11007 |
4,395.15 | |
| Breydon Water |
UK11008 |
1,202.94 | |
| Broadland |
UK11010 |
5,488.61 | |
| Chesil Beach and The Fleet |
UK11012 |
748.11 | |
| Chichester and Langstone Harbours |
UK11013 |
5,810.03 | |
| Chippenham Fen |
UK11014 |
112.13 | |
| Colne Estuary (Mid-Essex Coast Phase 2) |
UK11015 |
2,701.43 | |
| Crouch and Roach Estuaries (Mid-Essex Coast Phase 3) |
UK11058 |
1,847.87 | |
| Deben Estuary |
UK11017 |
978.93 | |
| Dengie (Mid-Essex Coast Phase 1) |
UK11018 |
3,127.23 | |
| Dersingham Bog |
UK11019 |
157.75 | |
| Dorset Heathlands |
UK11021 |
6,730.15 | |
| Duddon Estuary |
UK11022 |
6,806.3 | |
| Dungeness, Romney Marsh and Rye Bay |
UK11023 (2555) |
6,377.63 | |
| Esthwaite Water |
UK11024 |
137.4 | |
| Exe Estuary |
UK11025 |
2,345.71 | |
| Foulness (Mid-Essex Coast Phase 5) |
UK11026 |
10,932.95 | |
| Gibraltar Point |
UK11027 |
414.09 | |
| Hamford Water |
UK11028 |
2,187.21 | |
| Holburn Lake and Moss |
UK11030 |
28.03 | |
| Humber Estuary |
UK11031 |
37,987.8 | |
| Irthinghead Mires |
UK11032 |
792.08 | |
| Isles of Scilly |
UK11033 |
401.64 | |
| Lee Valley | UK11034 (1037) |
447.87 | |
| Leighton Moss |
UK11035 |
128.61 | |
| Lindisfarne |
UK11036 |
3,679.22 | |
| Lower Derwent Valley |
UK11037 |
915.45 | |
| Malham Tarn |
UK11038 |
286.26 | |
| Martin Mere |
UK11039 |
119.89 | |
| Medway Estuary and Marshes |
UK11040 |
4,696.74 | |
| Mersey Estuary |
UK11041 |
5,023.35 | |
| Mersey Narrows and North Wirral Foreshore |
UK11042 |
2,078.41 | |
| Midland Meres and Mosses Phase 1 |
UK11043 |
510.88 | |
| Midland Meres and Mosses Phase 2 |
UK11080 |
1,588.24 | Partly in Wales |
| Minsmere–Walberswick |
UK11044 |
2,018.92 | |
| Morecambe Bay |
UK11045 |
37,404.6 | |
| Nene Washes |
UK11046 |
1,517.49 | |
| North Norfolk Coast |
UK11048 |
7,862.39 | |
| Northumbria Coast |
UK11049 |
1,107.98 | |
| Ouse Washes |
UK11051 |
2,469.08 | |
| Pagham Harbour |
UK11052 |
636.68 | |
| Pevensey Levels |
UK11053 |
3,577.71 | |
| Poole Harbour |
UK11054 |
2,439.2 | |
| Portsmouth Harbour |
UK11055 |
1,248.77 | |
| Redgrave and South Lopham Fens |
UK11056 |
127.09 | |
| Ribble and Alt Estuaries |
UK11057 |
13,464.1 | |
| Rostherne Mere |
UK11060 |
79.76 | |
| Roydon Common |
UK11061 |
194.1 | |
| Rutland Water |
UK11062 |
1,360.34 | |
| Severn Estuary |
UK11081 |
24,662.98 | Partly in Wales |
| Solent and Southampton Water |
UK11063 |
5,346.44 | |
| Somerset Levels and Moors |
UK11064 |
6,388.49 | |
| South West London Waterbodies |
UK11065 |
828.14 | |
| Stodmarsh |
UK11066 |
481.33 | |
| Stour and Orwell Estuaries |
UK11067 |
3,676.92 | |
| Teesmouth and Cleveland Coast |
UK11068 |
2,085.21 | |
| Thames Estuary and Marshes |
UK11069 |
5,588.59 | |
| Thanet Coast and Sandwich Bay |
UK11070 |
2,169.23 | |
| The Dee Estuary |
UK11082 |
14,302.02 | Partly in Wales |
| The New Forest |
UK11047 |
28,002.81 | |
| The Swale |
UK11071 |
6,514.71 | |
| The Wash |
UK11072 |
62,211.66 | |
| Thursley and Ockley Bog |
UK11074 |
265.24 | |
| Upper Nene Valley Gravel Pits |
UK11083 |
1,357.67 | |
| Upper Solway Flats and Marshes |
UK11079 |
43,636.73 | Partly in Scotland |
| Walmore Common |
UK11076 |
52.85 | |
| Wicken Fen |
UK11077 |
254.39 | |
| Woodwalton Fen |
UK11078 |
208.13 |
Table last updated: January 2025
Scotland
Designated sites
| Site name | UK site code (RSIS code) |
Area (ha) |
Cross-border sites |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bridgend Flats, Islay | UK13001 (403) |
331.16 | |
| Cairngorm Lochs | UK13002 (216) |
172.99 | |
| Caithness and Sutherland Peatlands | UK13003 (971) |
143,502.79 | |
| Caithness Lochs | UK13004 (928) |
1,378.57 | |
| Cameron Reservoir | UK13005 (650) |
68.76 | |
| Castle Loch, Lochmaben | UK13006 (796) |
107.6 | |
| Claish Moss | UK13007 (218) |
568.29 | |
| Coll | UK13008 (723) |
2,208.52 | |
| Cromarty Firth | UK13009 (1001) |
3,746.95 | |
| Din Moss – Hoselaw Loch | UK13010 (405) |
50.59 | |
| Dornoch Firth and Loch Fleet | UK13011 (897) |
7,836.6 | |
| East Sanday Coast | UK13013 (917) |
1,514.88 | |
| Eilean na Muice Duibhe (Duich Moss), Islay | UK13014 (402) |
576.42 | |
| Fala Flow | UK13015 (465) |
318.04 | |
| Firth of Forth | UK13017 (1111) |
6,313.68 | |
| Firth of Tay & Eden Estuary | UK13018 (1034) |
6,918.42 | |
| Gladhouse Reservoir | UK13021 (404) |
186.41 | |
| Greenlaw Moor | UK13022 (795) |
247.6 | |
| Gruinart Flats, Islay | UK13023 (401) |
3,260.69 | |
| Inner Clyde Estuary | UK13024 (1036) |
1,824.92 | |
| Inner Moray Firth | UK13025 (1002) |
2,339.25 | |
| Kintyre Goose Roosts | UK13027 (966) |
312.19 | |
| Lewis Peatlands | UK13028 (1046) |
58,984.23 | |
| Loch an Duin | UK13029 (468) |
2,621.13 | |
| Loch Eye | UK13031 (340) |
205.14 | |
| Loch Ken and River Dee Marshes | UK13032 (568) |
769.11 | |
| Loch Leven | UK13033 (72) |
1,611.8 | |
| Loch Lomond | UK13034 (73) |
236.9 | |
| Loch Maree | UK13035 (700) |
3,173.67 | |
| Loch of Inch and Torrs Warren | UK13037 (972) |
2,111.39 | |
| Loch of Kinnordy | UK13038 (652) |
85.09 | |
| Loch of Lintrathen | UK13039 (217) |
216.81 | |
| Loch of Skene | UK13040 (339) |
120.9 | |
| Loch of Strathbeg | UK13041 (778) |
615.94 | |
| Loch Ruthven | UK13042 (855) |
201.15 | |
| Loch Spynie | UK13043 (569) |
93.62 | |
| Montrose Basin | UK13046 (716) |
984.62 | |
| Moray and Nairn Coast | UK13048 (890) |
2,412.27 | |
| Muir of Dinnet | UK13049 (1003) |
157.6 | |
| North Uist Machair and Islands | UK13050 (1004) |
4,704.92 | |
| Rannoch Moor | UK13051 (78) |
1,519.43 | |
| Rinns of Islay | UK13052 (466) |
3,570.75 | |
| River Spey – Insh Marshes | UK13053 (889) |
1,158.77 | |
| Ronas Hill – North Roe and Tingon | UK13054 (916) |
5,470.2 | |
| Silver Flowe | UK13055 (219) |
619.54 | |
| Sléibhtean agus Cladach Thiriodh (Tiree Wetlands and Coast) | UK13056 (1158) |
1,938.59 | |
| South Tayside Goose Roosts | UK13057 (601) |
331.01 | |
| South Uist Machair and Lochs | UK13058 (71) |
5,019.05 | |
| Upper Solway Flats and Marshes | UK11079 (341) |
43,636.73 | Partly in England |
| Westwater | UK13060 (780) |
49.77 | |
| Ythan Estuary and Meikle Loch | UK13061 (939) |
314.17 |
Table last updated: January 2025
Wales
Designated sites
| Site name | UK site code (RSIS code) |
Area (ha) | Cross-border sites |
|---|---|---|---|
| Burry Inlet | UK14001 (562) |
6,627.99 | |
| Cors Caron | UK14003 (570) |
865.56 | |
| Cors Fochno and Dyfi | UK14004 (66) |
2,492.24 | |
| Corsydd Môn a Llyn / Anglesey and Llyn Fens | UK14005 (927) |
624.9 | |
| Crymlyn Bog | UK14006 (608) |
264.18 | |
| Llyn Idwal | UK14007 (534) |
13.51 | |
| Llyn Tegid | UK14008 (535) |
478.08 | |
| Midland Meres and Mosses Phase 2 | UK11080 (891) |
1,588.24 | Partly in England |
| Severn Estuary | UK11081 (67) |
24,662.98 | Partly in England |
| The Dee Estuary |
UK11082 |
14,302.02 | Partly in England |
Table last updated: January 2025
Northern Ireland
Designated sites
| Site name | UK site code (RSIS code) |
Area (ha) |
|---|---|---|
| Ballynahone Bog | UK12001 (967) |
243.24 |
| Belfast Lough | UK12002 (958) |
432.14 |
| Black Bog | UK12003 (1032) |
183.42 |
| Carlingford Lough | UK12004 (936) |
830.51 |
| Cuilcagh Mountain | UK12005 (968) |
2,744.45 |
| Fairy Water Bogs | UK12008 (1033) |
223.7 |
| Fardrum and Roosky Turloughs | UK12009 (1177) |
43.1 |
| Garron Plateau | UK12010 (969) |
4,650.07 |
| Garry Bog | UK12011 (1042) |
154.76 |
| Killough Bay |
UK12012 |
104.23 |
| Larne Lough | UK12013 (895) |
395.94 |
| Lough Foyle | UK12014 (974) |
2,204.36 |
| Lough Neagh and Lough Beg | UK12016 (74) |
50,165.84 |
| Magheraveely Marl Loughs |
UK12017 |
58.78 |
| Outer Ards |
UK12018 |
1,154.16 |
| Pettigoe Plateau | UK12019 (872) |
1,264.32 |
| Slieve Beagh | UK12020 (1035) |
1,884.68 |
| Strangford Lough | UK12021 (937) |
15,581.3 |
| Turmennan Lough | UK12023 (1178) |
14.83 |
| Upper Lough Erne | UK12024 (896) |
5,818.07 |
Proposed sites
| Site name | UK site code (RSIS code) |
Area (ha) |
|---|---|---|
| Derryleckagh | UK12006 | 42.14 |
| Teal Lough | UK12022 | 198.22 |
Tables last updated: January 2025
Crown Dependencies & UK Overseas Territories
Designated sites
Crown Dependences - designated sites
| Site name | UK site code (RSIS code) |
Crown Dependency
|
Area (ha) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alderney West Coast and the Burhou Islands | UK22002 (1587) |
Alderney, Bailiwick of Guernsey | 15,629 |
| Herm, Jethou and The Humps | UK22003 (2277) |
Guernsey, Bailiwick of Guernsey | 685 |
| Lihou Island and L'Erée Headland, Guernsey | UK22001 (1608) |
Guernsey, Bailiwick of Guernsey | 390 |
| Gouliot Caves and Headland, Sark | UK22004 (2276) |
Sark, Bailiwick of Guernsey | 4 |
| Ballaugh Curragh | UK21001 (1642) |
Isle of Man | 193.4 |
| Les Écréhous & Les Dirouilles, Jersey | UK23003 (1455) |
Jersey | 5,459 |
| Les Minquiers, Jersey | UK23002 (1456) |
Jersey | 9,575 |
| Les Pierres de Lecq (The Paternosters), Jersey | UK23004 (1457) |
Jersey | 512 |
| South East Coast of Jersey, Channel Islands | UK23001 (1043) |
Jersey | 3,210.5 |
UK Overseas Territories - designated sites
| Site name | UK site code (RSIS code) |
Overseas Territory
|
Area (ha)
|
|---|---|---|---|
| Sombrero Island Nature Reserve Marine Park |
UK45006 |
Anguilla | 1,050.71 |
| Hungry Bay Mangrove Swamp | UK41002 (987) |
Bermuda | 2.85 |
| Lover's Lake Nature Reserve | UK41003 (989) |
Bermuda | 2.14 |
| Paget Marsh | UK41004 (990) |
Bermuda | 11.65 |
| Pembroke Marsh East | UK41005 (988) |
Bermuda | 7.65 |
| Somerset Long Bay Pond | UK41006 (985) |
Bermuda | 1.09 |
| Spittal Pond | UK41007 (984) |
Bermuda | 9.88 |
| Warwick Pond | UK41010 (986) |
Bermuda | 4.35 |
| Diego Garcia | UK61002 (1077) |
British Indian Ocean Territory | 35,424.05 |
| Western Salt Ponds of Anegada | UK44003 (983) |
British Virgin Islands | 1,071 |
| Booby Pond and Rookery | UK42001 (702) |
Cayman Islands | 82 |
| Bertha's Beach | UK54001 (1103) |
Falkland Islands | 3,000 |
| Sea Lion Island | UK54005 (1104) |
Falkland Islands | 1,655 |
| Gough Island | UK53001 (1868) |
Tristan da Cunha | 243,561 |
| Inaccessible Island | UK53002 (1869) |
Tristan da Cunha | 126,524 |
| North, Middle and East Caicos Islands | UK43001 (493) |
Turks and Caicos | 58,617 |
| Akrotiri | UK32001 (1375) |
Western Sovereign Base Area of Cyprus | 2,171 |
Tables last updated: January 2025
Potential sites
During 2004, the UK Overseas Territories Conservation Forum (UKOTCF) undertook a review of existing and potential Ramsar Sites in UK Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies, under contract from Defra. The final report of that Review was published in February 2005 and identified a number of potential Ramsar Sites as set out in the tables below. Further details are available in the project report available on the UKOTCF website.
Crown Dependencies - potential sites
| Site name | UK site code | Crown Dependency | Area (ha) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Orchid Fields at Rocquaine Bay | UK22005 | Guernsey, Bailiwick of Guernsey | 4 |
| Central Valley Curragh | UK21004 | Isle of Man | 164 |
| Dalby Peatlands | UK21006 | Isle of Man | 58 |
| Gob ny rona, Maughold Head & Port Cornaa | UK21005 | Isle of Man | 209 |
| Southern Coasts & Calf of Man | UK21003 | Isle of Man | 2,326 |
| The Ayres | UK21002 | Isle of Man | 680 |
| St Ouen's Bay and Les Mielles | UK23005 | Jersey | 1,280 |
UK Overseas Territories - potential sites
| Site name | UK site code |
Overseas Territory
|
Area (ha) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anguilla mainland wetlands | UK45010 | Anguilla | |
| Dog Island & Middle Cay | UK45007 | Anguilla | 1,800 |
| Prickly Pear Cays | UK45008 | Anguilla | 1,800 |
| Scrub & Little Scrub Islands | UK45009 | Anguilla | 342.9 |
| Ascension Island | UK51001 | Ascension Island | 9,700 |
| Bermuda Reef areas | UK41014 | Bermuda | |
| Castle Harbour Islands and reef | UK41015 | Bermuda | 374 |
| Devonshire Marsh East and West Basins | UK41001 | Bermuda | |
| Harrington Sound and Notch | UK41013 | Bermuda | 488 |
| Trott's Pond and Mangrove Lake | UK41008 | Bermuda | |
| Walsingham Formation – Karst and Caves | UK41012 | Bermuda | |
| Chagos Banks | UK61004 | British Indian Ocean Territory | 4,000,000 |
| Anegada Eastern Ponds and The Horseshoe Reef | UK44004 | British Virgin Islands | 30,009.11 |
| Fat Hogs and Bar Bays | UK44005 | British Virgin Islands | 20 |
| Barker's Wetland | UK42007 | Cayman Islands | 460 |
| Central Mangrove Wetland, Little Sound, Ponds and associated Marine Zones | UK42004 | Cayman Islands | 8,039 |
| Little Cayman Crown Wetlands and Marine Parks | UK42005 | Cayman Islands | 901 |
| Salina Reserve | UK42006 | Cayman Islands | 252 |
| Beauchêne Island | UK54016 | Falkland Islands | 187 |
| Bird Island | UK54020 | Falkland Islands | 120 |
| Bull Point | UK54015 | Falkland Islands | 300 |
| Cape Dolphin | UK54006 | Falkland Islands | 4,700 |
| Cape Peninsula, Stanley Common and Port Harriet | UK54011 | Falkland Islands | |
| Concordia Beach & Ponds, Limpet Creek and Cape Bougainville | UK54007 | Falkland Islands | |
| East Bay, Lake Sulivan and River Doyle | UK54002 | Falkland Islands | 31,902 |
| Flats Brook and Bombilla Flats | UK54013 | Falkland Islands | |
| Hawks Nest Ponds | UK54019 | Falkland Islands | |
| Jason Islands Group | UK54017 | Falkland Islands | 3,328 |
| Keppel Island | UK54018 | Falkland Islands | 3,626 |
| Kidney Island and Kidney Cove | UK54010 | Falkland Islands | 40 |
| Lafonia ponds and streams catchment | UK54014 | Falkland Islands | |
| New Island Group | UK54021 | Falkland Islands | 2,544 |
| Pebble Island East | UK54004 | Falkland Islands | 7,053 |
| Seal Bay | UK54008 | Falkland Islands | 2,700 |
| Swan Inlet and Ponds | UK54012 | Falkland Islands | 12,000 |
| Volunteer Point | UK54009 | Falkland Islands | 230 |
| Bay of Gibraltar | UK31001 | Gibraltar | |
| Centre Hills and forested ghauts | UK46002 | Montserrat | |
| Montserrat north-west coasts and marine shallows | UK46001 | Montserrat | |
| Browns Water, Pitcairn | UK62004 | Pitcairn Islands | |
| Coastal waters, Pitcairn | UK62005 | Pitcairn Islands | |
| Ducie Island | UK62001 | Pitcairn Islands | 600 |
| Henderson Island | UK62002 | Pitcairn Islands | 3,700 |
| Oeno Island | UK62003 | Pitcairn Islands | 1,000 |
| South Georgia | UK55001 | South Georgia & the South Sandwich Islands | 375,500 |
| South Sandwich Islands | UK55002 | South Georgia & the South Sandwich Islands | 27,760 |
| Fisher's Valley | UK52003 | St Helena | |
| St Helena Central Peaks | UK52001 | St Helena | |
| St Helena inshore waters, stacks and cliffs | UK52002 | St Helena | |
| Nightingale Group | UK53003 | Tristan da Cunha | 390 |
| Tristan Island | UK53004 | Tristan da Cunha | 9,600 |
| Caicos Bank Southern Cays | UK43005 | Turks and Caicos | 364 |
| Grand Turk salinas, ponds and shores | UK43002 | Turks and Caicos | 200 |
| Leeward-Going-Through Cays | UK43008 | Turks and Caicos | 182 |
| Salt Cay creeks and salinas | UK43003 | Turks and Caicos | 150 |
| Turks Bank Seabird Cays | UK43004 | Turks and Caicos | 120 |
| West Caicos saline lake and coral reef system | UK43007 | Turks and Caicos | 1,310.1 |
| West Providenciales Wetlands | UK43006 | Turks and Caicos | 5,613 |
Published: .