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Visiting the Donna Nook seals: a complete guide

Every winter, thousands of grey seals come ashore just down the coast from Cleethorpes. Here is when to go, where to park and how to make the most of it.

Visit Cleethorpes · 10 Nov 2026 · 6 min read

Every November and December, grey seals haul out at Donna Nook National Nature Reserve to give birth beside the sand dunes. More than 2,000 pups have been born here in some recent seasons. Because the viewing path runs right along the foot of the dunes, you can often see mothers and their white-coated pups just a few metres away.

Donna Nook is about 13 miles south of Cleethorpes, roughly a 30-minute drive. It makes a brilliant winter day out for families, photographers and anyone who loves wildlife.

See the Donna Nook listing and photos

When to visit

  • Seal season: the first seals arrive in late October, and pups are born through November and December. The viewing area is open from dawn to dusk in season.
  • Peak time: mid-November to early December usually has the most pups. Late in the season you'll see more weaned pups lying on their own.
  • Go midweek if you can. At weekends the narrow lanes, car parks and viewing area get very busy, and traffic management with a one-way system runs on the busiest weekends.
  • No booking needed.

Seal updates

Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust publishes a weekly seal count, the "pupdate", so you can see how the season is going before you travel:

We don't publish our own live numbers. Always check the Trust for the latest.

Getting there

Take the A1031 coast road south from Cleethorpes towards North Somercotes, then follow the signs for RAF Donna Nook and the brown seal signs onto Marsh Lane. Don't rely on sat nav. The postcode LN11 7PD is only the nearest registered address. There is no practical public transport to the viewing area, so plan to drive.

Parking

  • Stonebridge car park: the closest to the viewing area, with ramp access and limited disabled bays. Spaces are limited, and on busy weekends it is Blue Badge holders only. It is free outside seal season.
  • Main "field" car park: privately owned and open only in seal season, when demand is high. It has charged £5 per car (£10 per coach). There are portaloos here, including an accessible toilet, and seasonal catering. The route to the seals crosses the dunes with steps and rough ground.
  • Park only in designated areas. Never on verges or in passing places.

Charges and arrangements can change from season to season, so check the Trust's page before you go.

In the viewing area

  • Stay behind the fence at all times.
  • No dogs in the seal viewing area. Leave your dog at home or with someone in the car park.
  • No flash photography, and never feed, touch or try to get closer to the seals. Mothers can abandon pups that are disturbed.
  • No unaccompanied children.
  • There is a Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust shop in the viewing area (cards accepted), and the Trust's Seal Appeal accepts donations.

Safety: the RAF range

Part of Donna Nook is still an active Ministry of Defence bombing range. Never enter the range area when red flags are flying. Follow all warning signs. Most of the dune area is accessible at all times.

Accessibility

Stonebridge car park has a ramp with easy access to the viewing area. From the field car park the path has wide steps over the dunes, narrow sections and uneven ground. Outside seal season, the nearest toilets are in North Somercotes.

What to bring

  • Warm, windproof layers, a hat and gloves. The coast is exposed in winter.
  • Sturdy footwear or wellies.
  • Binoculars and a camera with a zoom lens.
  • A flask and snacks, as catering only runs when it's busy.
  • Cash or card for parking and a donation.

Make a day of it

Combine the seals with lunch in Louth or head back up the coast for fish and chips in Cleethorpes. Browse places to eat, places to stay and more family activities, or check our visitor information for tides and parking in town.

Quick FAQs

When is the best time to see the seal pups? Mid-November to early December. Seals are present from late October to around the end of December.

Is Donna Nook free? Entry to the viewing area is free. Parking in the seasonal field car park is charged.

Can I take my dog? No. Dogs are not allowed in the seal viewing area.

Do I need to book? No booking is required.

How far is it from Cleethorpes? About 13 miles, around 30 minutes by car.

Information checked November 2026 against Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust guidance. Arrangements can change, so please confirm before you travel.