Rutland Water – New lagoons, hides and walks.

View from Fieldfare Hide, looking towards Hambleton. Credit Rutland Water Nature Reserve

The major construction work for the first new lagoon is now complete and it is filling with water, and the new hides overlooking the lagoon are now open! More new lagoons and bunds will be built over the coming years. The map of the Nature Reserve shows all the existing paths and hides as well as where the new wetland areas will be located.

This is part of a large project that will enable Anglian Water to meet increased demand for water in future years by taking up to 90 million extra litres per day from Rutland Water. What makes this project unique is the creation of new wetland areas and lagoons near Egleton which will have independent water levels, to ensure that the wildlife is not disturbed if the water level in the main body of the reservoir falls.

The islands on lagoon I have been remodelled and raised in height due to the unusually high water levels last year which caused significant problems for nesting birds, particularly Common Terns. The work has been done to prevent a repeat of this. At the same time a Kingfisher bank was built in front of the visitor centre to encourage, you guessed it, Kingfishers to possibly breed. We also hope they will use the pond as a fishing area which will provide superb views of a striking bird.

More aboute the Rutland Water Nature Reserve