Pitsford Water Nature & Wildlife

Pitsford Water Park is a Site of Special Scientific Interest for the large numbers of wintering wildfowl and breeding birds that visit the site. The northern half of the reservoir is also a designated nature reserve and is particularly good for avid birdwatchers, with a range of diving birds, waders and more.

You can expect to find:

• Black-headed gulls
• Little egrets
• Common Turn
• Great northern divers (common loons)
• Great crested grebes
• Slavonian grebes (horned grebes)
• Song Thrush
• Swallows
• Goldeneye
• Willow Warbler
• Lapwings
• Chiffchaff

And, with a mix of grassland, wetland, woodland and scrub habitats it also supports a number of rare plants, healthy insect, mammal and amphibian populations, including:

• Common Blue Damselfly
• Burnet moths
• Cukooflower
• Large skipper moths
• Grass snakes

There’s a self-guided 7 mile walk through the nature reserve with eight bird hides dotted around the shoreline, including one disabled hide near to the Fishing Lodge.

Plus, we hold regular events on the nature reserve and you’re more than welcome to volunteer to get involved in any activities.

More information can be found on the dedicated Pitsford Water Nature Reserve website.

Pitsford Nature Reserve is managed in partnership with the Wildlife Trust BCN.

You can buy an annual nature reserve permit that’s valid here at Pitsford, as well as at Rutland, Hollowell, Taverham.

Or, if you prefer, day permits to Pitsford Water Park nature reserves are available at the fishing lodge at Holcot. And there’s a day permit discount for senior citizens and under 18's.

What’s more, there are small nature reserves at Hollowell reservoir with access restricted to Pitsford Nature Reserve season ticket holders only.

With regret dogs (except guide dogs), cycles and jogging are not permitted on Pitsford Nature Reserve.

Nature Reserve Permits for Pitsford Water Park and Hollowell Reservoir are available from:

Pitsford Water Fishing Lodge

Brixworth Road

Holcot

Northampton

NN6 9SJ

Telephone: 01604 781350

Email: parksinfo@anglianwater.co.uk

Members of the Wildlife Trust BCN can gain a free annual permit by contacting the Lings office on 01604 405285 with your membership number.