Nature Reserves
Cotswold Lakes Trust operates several sites as nature reserves, where the landscape is managed for the protection and enhancement of wildlife, and where the public can go to enjoy it. All the reserves are easily accessible through public or permissive rights of way.
Nature Reserve Guide
To find the locations of Cotswold Lakes Nature Reserves and for more detailed information on each one, please download the Nature Reserve Guide. You can purchase a copy at the Visitor Centre or online.
The Hills Group and Cotswold Lakes Trust members for their support in producing this guide.
Cleveland Lakes
Lakes: 68 and 74
Location: 1km east of Ashton Keynes
What3Words: diets.posed.umbrellas
Nearest parking: Waterhay car park
Managed by: Cotswold Lakes Trust
Cleveland Lakes contains the largest area of reedbed, marsh swamp and willow carr in the Cotswold Lakes area, making it an excellent place to view wildlife. The high water quality provides rich nutrients for plants, making it a favourite feeding place for a wide variety of birds and dragonflies. The more elusive Water Vole and Otter also inhabit the streams, reedbeds and ditches at the eastern end of the reserve. Look out for:
Winter and spring: Goldeneye, Lapwing, gulls, and resident waterbirds such as Gadwall, Pochard, Wigeon, Teal and Tufted Duck can be viewed from the hide at Lake 74.
Summer and autumn: dragonflies and damselflies, Blackcap, Sedge Warbler, Reed Bunting, Chiffchaff, Hobby, Sand Martin and Swift. At the heronry, viewed from the Reed Hide at Lake 68, fledgling Grey Heron and Little Egret can be seen leaving the nest and loafing around the site.
For further information, please visit Cleveland Lakes Nature Reserve
Cokes Pit Local Nature Reserve
Lake: 34
Location: 500m east of Somerford Keynes
What3Words: list.seated.ecologist
Nearest parking: Neigh Bridge Country Park car park
Managed by: Cotswold Lakes Trust
Cokes Pit Local Nature Reserve (designated in 2003) is home to a large number of breeding birds including Tufted Duck, Black-headed Gull and Great Crested Grebe. In addition, Water Vole and Water Shrew inhabit the site, with vast numbers of dragonflies and a rare aquatic plant, the Lesser Bearded Stonewort.
Springtime sees numerous orchids and other wildflowers blooming in the grass clearings, and several species of bat including Daubenton’s can be seen feeding over the lake at dusk.
Shorncote Reedbeds
Lakes: 84 and 85
Location: 650m west of South Cerney
What3Words: hospitals.sharp.hires
Nearest parking: Upper Up Playing Field cark park in South Cerney
Managed by: Cotswold Lakes Trust
At Shorncote, a 20 hectare reedbed has been established as part of the area’s Biodiversity Action Plan, as these habitats are now quite rare in the UK countryside. The reedbeds provide excellent homes and shelter for a huge variety of wildlife, including Reed Bunting, Reed Warbler, Little Grebe, Snipe, Otter, Water Vole, dragonflies and even the rare Bittern. The islands on Lake 85b have been designed to maximise the area of reed fringe and views across all three lakes are available from the two bird hides on site.
Old Railway Line
Location: between South Cerney and Cricklade
What3Words: liquid.ticked.influence
Nearest parking: Bridge cark park or in South Cerney or Cricklade
Managed by: Cotswold Lakes Trust
The disused Midland and South Western Junction Railway now forms a vital corridor of wildlife habitat between South Cerney and Cricklade. Bats, birds and badgers all utilise its lightly wooded embankments for foraging and shelter. The summer nights see parts of the Old Railway Line illuminated by our declining native Glow Worm, whose larvae feed on the snails that are abundant on the railway ballast. Sensitive vegetative management takes place in order to enhance their chances of survival into the future.
A wildlife rubbing plaque trail can be found along the Old Railway Line. See Wildlife Trail on the Cotswold Lakes Trust website page for more details.
Lower Moor
Clattinger Farm
Sandpool Farm
Lakes: 52 and 53
Location: 1.6km east of Oaksey
What3Words: grinning.slimmer.mainly
Nearest parking: Parking on site
Managed by: Wiltshire Wildlife Trust
The reserve is a mosaic of three lakes, two brooks, ponds and wetland scrapes linked together by boardwalks, ancient hedges, woodland and meadows. A number of wildfowl species swim in the lakes including Great Crested Grebe, Teal, Shoveler and Goosander to name a few. Water Voles and Otters use the Flagham Brook and can sometimes also be seen from the hides overlooking the lakes. On sunny days you may spot Emperor, Southern Hawker and Downy Emerald dragonflies.
Image: David Hall
North Meadow National Nature Reserve
Location: 500m north of Cricklade
What3Words: postage.human.originate
Nearest parking: Cricklade town centre or roadside parking within 300m of the reserve.
Managed by: Natural England
North Meadow National Nature Reserve is an old flower-rich hay meadow that has a great variety of wildflowers and is on international importance as one of the finest examples of a lowland hay meadow in Europe.
Image: David Hall
Whelford Pools
Lakes: 111 and 111b
Location: 500m north of Whelford
What3Words: guardian.postcard.loitering
Nearest parking: Parking on site
Managed by: Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust
This nature reserve is a freshwater haven for all sorts of wildlife. Whelford Pools and the surrounding lakes attract good numbers of wintering wildfowl, including Wigeon, Red-crested Pochard, Goldeneye, Pochard, Tufted Duck and Little Grebe. In springtime you can watch Great Grested Grebes do their courtship ‘weed dance’ and get great views from the hide and viewing screen of the Cormorant colony. Along with Sedge Warbler and Reed Bunting, Common Terns can be spotted, as well as Pike, Otters and clouds of dragonflies and damselflies.
Image: David Hall
Roundhouse Lake
Lake: 116
Location: 1km west of Lechlade
What3Words: wildfires.nutty.slippery
Nearest parking: Lechlade town centre or Riverside Park car park
Managed by: Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust
Roundhouse Lakes nature reserve is a fine example of the purity of habitat that can be achieved through the careful and sympathetic restoration of gravel pits. The large open lake plays host to many wintering wildfowl, including Wigeon, Red-crested Pochard, Goldeneye, Pochard and Tufted Duck. Great Crested Grebe and Little Grebe are also frequently found on the lake, and sightings of Kingfisher and Otter are not unlikely.
Image: David Hall
Other Areas to Visit
Explore beyond the main nature reserves and you can find other wild-rich sites via an extensive network of public and permissive footpaths. We have listed a few key sites below but there are many more.
Eysey
Location: between Cricklade and Down Ampney
What3Words: roost.blazers.pixies
Current gravel workings and restoration activity result in good views of a variety of waterbirds. Large numbers of dragonflies and damselflies along the River Thames and Ampney Brook. Access on public footpaths from Cricklade.
Coln Country Park
Lake: 125
Location: between Lechlade and Fairford
What3Words: redeemed.angel.formal
Circular footpath around a large reed-fringed sailing lake provides good views of a variety of waterbirds and warblers. Small free car park and links to a wider network of footpaths.
Bryworth Lane Nature Reserve
Location: between Fairford and Lechlade
What3Words: seagulls.ruin.highs
An area of old railway corridor, now returned to farmland, hosting a wide diversity of calcareous grassland species plus Slow Worm, Common Toad, Smooth Newt and Great Crested Newt.
River Coln at Fairford
Location: South of Fairford
What3Words: nourished.defected.shredder
Excellent riverine habitat that has a good population of Water Voles which are regularly seen from the footbridge over the river. Assessible along Gas Lane from the Market Place in Fairford town centre.
Edward Richardson & Phyllis Amey (ERPA) Nature Reserve
Lakes: 119 and 122
Location: North of Lechlade
What3Words: unsightly.drift.good
A small reserve with wet woodland, scrub and open water attracting a good range of waterbirds and passerines throughout the year. There is a permissive footpath around the southern lake.
Riverside Park
Location: South of Lechlade
What3Words: vegetable.panics.dame
Good access to the Thames Path National Trail at Lechlade where you can walk upstream towards Castle Eaton to a more juvenile River Thames where warblers, hirundines and damselflies are numerous during the summer.
Follow footpaths west to Roundhouse Lake (2km) and beyond to Whelford Pools (5km).
Elmlea SSSI
Location: Between Old Railway Line and Cleveland Lakes
What3Words: hoping.awestruck.cubic
Located just off the Old Railway Line, it received SSSI designation for the Downy-Fruited Sedge present in the small plot of land. Also contains impressive Greater Tussock Sedge which form dense pillars up to 1.5m tall. No public access on to the sites themselves but can be viewed from the adjacent paths.
Image: David Hall