El Hondo Visitor Centre at San Felipe

The reserve and car park are always open to give access to the tracks and hides, and the toilets are usually open every day. A shaded picnic area is located next to the visitor centre.

The Visitor Centre is well signposted, and the office is open Tuesday to Friday from 9am to 2pm, Saturday from 12.00 to 2pm, Sunday and holidays 9am to 2pm. Visits to the main El Hondo reserve via the North gate can be booked with the staff here.

At the San Felipe Centre itself, a pool sometimes holds waders, and you can usually see some of the Red knobbed Coots which are part of a re-introduction scheme here. The  reedbed is a summer site for the small herons. A boardwalk takes you around the edge of a big lake, where grebes and duck are to be seen, and, in summer, Collared Pratincole breed. Glossy Ibis are frequent in the area.

A path/cycle way has now been opened near to the right hand end of the boardwalk giving access to two hides overlooking the lagoons. It is also possible to walk round the edge of one of the lagoons allowing you good views of the waterbirds as well as the many raptors which hunt over the area.

SAT NAV CO-ORDINATES – 38°11.256’N 0°47.451’W

El Hondo Map – A = El Hondo Visitor Centre at San Felipe B = El Hondo Main Reserve