Top 20 Lakes around Staveley

The Staveley area offers a mix of picturesque tarns, significant nature reserves, and reservoirs. You can find diverse habitats like reedswamp, fen, grassland, and scrub, particularly at Staveley Nature Reserve. Moorland scenery with bracken-clad slopes and rocky knolls surrounds tarns like Potter Tarn and Gurnal Dubs. The woodlands around the Linacre reservoirs feature oak, beech, alder, larch, and pine, with bluebells in spring.

Yes, several spots are great for families. The Southeast corner of Linacre Middle Reservoir offers a mostly flat walk around three reservoirs and woods, known for bluebells in spring. Rother Valley Country Park features a network of well-maintained paths around its artificial lakes, and Pleasley Pit Colliery and Nature Reserve has gravel trails and ponds suitable for a family outing.

Staveley Nature Reserve is a prime location for wildlife. Over 200 bird species have been recorded there, including warblers, common terns, barn owls, and various winter fowl. Otters are regularly sighted, and the reserve is also home to roe deer, foxes, water shrews, and 19 species of dragonflies. It features accessible paths and five bird hides for observation.

Yes, Pleasley Pit Colliery and Nature Reserve is a natural monument and historical site, offering views of the old colliery with a countryside backdrop. Kentmere Reservoir also holds historical significance, having been created in the 1840s after Kentmere Tarn was drained to regulate water supply for local mills.

You can enjoy various activities. Gurnal Dubs is particularly popular for wild swimming. For cycling, Rother Valley Country Park offers cable water skiing and a network of paths. The area also has excellent routes for gravel biking and mountain biking. You can find more details on routes like the 'Trans Pennine Trail – Poolsbrook Country Park Lake loop' or the 'Five Pits Trail' in the Gravel biking around Staveley and MTB Trails around Staveley guides.

Yes, Staveley Nature Reserve features accessible paths and three fully accessible bird hides, making it easier for visitors with mobility considerations to enjoy the wildlife and natural surroundings.

Absolutely. The moorland setting of Potter Tarn and Gurnal Dubs offers tranquil and solitary experiences with typical Lake District scenery. Pleasley Pit Colliery and Nature Reserve provides a unique view of the old pit against a countryside backdrop. The Linacre Upper Reservoir Boardwalk offers a scenic experience, bringing you close to the water.

Spring is particularly beautiful, especially around the Linacre reservoirs, which are carpeted with bluebells. Winter offers opportunities for birdwatching at Staveley Nature Reserve, with sightings of pintails, wigeons, goldeneyes, snipe, and shovelers. Generally, the area is enjoyable year-round for walking, though paths can get muddy in wet weather.

Potter Tarn and Gurnal Dubs, often referred to as 'twin tarns,' offer a tranquil and solitary experience amidst moorland near Kendal. Gurnal Dubs, in particular, is a popular spot for wild swimming and provides a serene escape from more crowded areas.

The area provides several cycling opportunities. Holmebrook Valley Park has a large lake with gravel paths that link to other cycle routes around Chesterfield. Rother Valley Country Park also has a network of well-maintained paths suitable for cycling. For more extensive routes, check out the Cycling around Staveley guide, which includes routes like the 'Hipper Valley Cycleway – Chesterfield Canal loop'.

Many of the walking areas around Staveley's lakes are dog-friendly. For example, the trails around the Linacre reservoirs are suitable for dogs. It's always recommended to keep dogs on a lead, especially in nature reserves or areas with livestock, and to check specific park rules before visiting.

For the Linacre reservoirs, there is a public car park on the northern edge of the woods of the Lower Reservoir. Holmebrook Valley Park also offers parking facilities. For other locations, it's advisable to check local signage or official websites for specific parking information.