Whelford Pools

Like much of the Cotswold Water Park, Whelford Pools Nature Reserve is made up of former gravel pits. Though the reserve is designated for the two former pits, which can be viewed from the bird hide and screens, there are plenty of other lakes around the site which are also great for viewing wildlife.

Although there are more birds present as they winter there, it is still worth visiting all year round. Wigeon, pochard and tufted duck, little grebes, red-crested pochard, goldeneye, common tern, black headed gull, sedge warbler and reed bunting are known to visit the pools.

There is a colony of cormorants which can be easily seen from the bird blind screen, and buzzards like to land in the trees around the water too.

Adjoining the reserve are paths which take you further in to the water park where you can wonder around the other lakes. If you walk eastward through the holiday resort you reach the Roundhouse Lake Nature Reserve, which is approximately 2.5km away from the car park. The route is flat, but much of it is loose or even ground, so may be difficult for some people to reach.