Welcome to Holt Island Nature Reserve
Holt Island Nature Reserve is an oasis of tranquillity in the centre of St Ives. The Island provides a variety of habitats which attract a wide range of birds, mammals, plants and insects.
The Island was primarily used to grow willow for basket weaving until 1970, and the Island then became overgrown. This changed its appearance and it now supports a wide range of flora and fauna. Today the wet woodland habitat is home to mammals such as voles, shrews, deer, badgers, bats, and foxes. Otters visit frequently. Plants such as yellow flag iris, purple loosestrife and comfrey thrive. Tortoiseshell, red admiral and peacock butterflies can be seen along with dragonflies and damselflies. And a huge variety of birds, including kingfishers, woodpeckers and warblers, inhabits the reserve.
The Island is open from 10am – 4pm on Saturdays, Sundays and Bank Holidays between April and the end of October (subject to weather conditions and flooding). If you wish to visit the Island at any other time (April to October), the key is available from One Leisure St Ives or the Norris Museum. You will need to pay a returnable deposit of £20.
The Island has a raised boardwalk, which makes it accessible to prams, buggies and wheelchairs, and there is plenty of seating, some with picnic tables. The Holt cabin, complete with bench seating, a nature table, books and children’s activity sheets and displays, is a welcoming place for visitors.
Schools and youth groups are very welcome to book visits, and activity worksheets and an Education Pack can be downloaded here.
The Island is owned and managed by Huntingdonshire District Council and is supported by the Friends of Holt Island Nature Reserve, a registered charity. This is a voluntary group dedicated to the promotion, preservation and enhancement of the award-winning reserve. The group organises social activities and fundraising events that are open to both members and non-members.
Yearly membership costs just £15 per household (£10 for an individual). Members receive a quarterly newsletter The Islander and other benefits.
The Friends of Holt Island continually develops new ways to improve the visitor experience, develop links with schools, youth groups and the community. The group is currently fundraising to replace the wooden boardwalk planks with a longer-lasting Fibregrid material.
Find us on
News from the Island
12 June 2026
In our latest column for the Hunts Post, Will Peach, from the RSPB , writes about the Cetti’s Warbler, an unusual and recent arrival to Britain.
19 May 2026
Upcoming events
Visit our news page for details of these upcoming events:
FOHINR Annual Meeting: Thursday 16 July
Family Fun Day: Tuesday 11 August
22 December 2025
Willow grown on the Island has been given a new life in the form of a beautifully crafted coracle.
Local resident Gavin Hitchcock tells the story of the build. Read more here.
Wildlife Updates
23 June 2026
Birds. Read our most recent ringing report (17 – 18 June) here.
Our wildlife list has been updated with sightings recorded in May.
Warblers. Read our report on warblers on Holt Island in 2025 here.
European cauliflower ash galls. Read more about the highly specialised and fascinating mites that cause these galls here.