Middleton Lakes

Address: RSPB Middleton Lakes, Bodymoor Heath Road, Tamworth B78 2BB

Grid ref: SP192967

What3Words: swam.incorrect.explains

Beautiful and tranquil, Middleton Lakes is a mosaic of wetlands, meadows and woodland in the heart of the River Tame Valley. Several kilometres of trails lead visitors through a variety of rich habitats, alive with a variety of birds including grey herons, kingfishers and lapwings.

Plan your visit

Nature reserve: open daily, dawn-dusk.
Car park: open daily
8.30am-4pm, 1 November-28 February.
8am-5pm, 1 March-31 October.
Visitor Hub: open at weekends only.
Toilets: There is one toilet available for our visitors to use at neighbouring Middleton Hall Courtyard. See their website for opening times.

Festive opening times

Christmas Eve: nature reserve and car park open as above.
Christmas Day: nature reserve and car park open as above.
Boxing Day: nature reserve and car park open as above.
New Year's Eve: nature reserve and car park open as above.
New Year's Day: nature reserve and car park open as above.
All other days in the festive period open as normal.
For Middleton Hall festive opening hours, see their website for details.

Free entrance to RSPB members: Yes

Adults: Free

Children: Free

Car park cost

There are no entrance charges to the reserve, but the following car parking charges apply:

RSPB members: FREE (please display your membership card face down in your windscreen)
Non-members: £3 per car
Blue badge holders: FREE

Facilities

Visitor centre
Car park
Refreshments
Picnic area
Guided walks is closed
Viewing point
Nature trails
Play area

Accessibility

Full accessibility information (external website)

How to get here

By train

The nearest railway station is Wilnecote, 2.5 miles away. On foot follow the signs towards Fazeley then turn left on the A4091 until you reach the canal. Walk alongside the canal to the reserve.

By bus

The reserve is not currently served by buses.

By bike

National cycle route 533.

By road

Middleton Lakes is off the A4091, just six miles from the M6 and four miles from the M42, north-east of Birmingham. By car, take the A446, the A4091 (ignore signs for Middleton Hall which has a separate entrance) and then Bodymoor Heath Road.

Sat nav POI file: If you have a satellite navigation system that can accept POI files, please see our POI page for a download link and instructions.

Other ways to get there

As well as the Heart-of-England Way footpath, the Birmingham & Fazeley canal passes through the reserve.

Get directions from Google Maps

View on What3Words

RSPB reserves on Google Earth

Dogs are welcome on some parts of the nature reserve. Dogs are welcome on the public footpath and bridleway which form part of the woodland trail plus a short section of the wetland trail to the footbridge over the river to Dosthill nature reserve. Dogs are also permitted on the meadow trail loop. Please keep to the designated rights of way and follow the signage on site.

Please keep your dog on a lead and under close, effective control at all times, due to the sensitive wildlife, habitats and livestock here.

Dogs are not permitted on the wetland trail to the north of the reserve or in the Play meadow. Please follow the no dog signage on site.

Disturbing wildlife does more than simply causing it to move away; it uses up its energy, decreasing its chance of survival regardless of the season. Even if dogs are very well behaved, wildlife and livestock can easily become startled by a loose dog they perceive as a predator. Thank you for protecting the special wildlife here by keeping your dog on a lead and under close, effective control.

Sorry, dogs aren’t permitted in the Welcome Hub, other than assistance dogs.
Dogs die in hot cars, please do not leave your dog in the car when visiting us.
There are no dog waste bins on the reserve, we ask that you take their waste home with you to dispose of.

Downloads

Helping you find your way around. PDF, 169 KB

Middleton Lakes map

Contact Middleton Lakes

RSPB Middleton Lakes, Bodymoor Heath Road, Tamworth B78 2BB
middletonlakes@rspb.org.uk
01827 259454
@RSPBMiddleton
Find us on facebook

What will you see?

Our star species

Barn owl

When they have young to feed, you could see them at any time of day.

Cetti's warbler

They are very often hard to see, but their 'explosive' song is unmistakable.

Grey heron

More than 30 pairs of grey herons nest in the trees at Middleton Lakes.

Lapwing

in spring, lapwings come to the wet grasslands here to breed.

Sedge warbler

A warbler that returns from Africa in spring.

In spring, our heronry reaches its pinnacle with more than 100 birds present. Bluebells fill the woodland with scent and colour while returning warblers provide an enchanting soundtrack. On the wetlands, cuckoos announce the start of spring while wetland birds display around potential nest sites.

During summer, dragonflies emerge from the pools and are pursued by dashing hobbies. The longer evenings mean that bats and owls are often encountered as they make their first hunting flights. Baby birds are found all around the reserve and can be heard begging for food whilst trying to avoid trouble!

In autumn, young herons will be hanging around the wetlands hoping for easy meals, and kingfishers are regularly seen following a good breeding season. Winter wildfowl begin to return to the lakes and migrant waders drop in for a rest and feed, before continuing to wintering grounds.

The winter cold brings more species to the feeders, including lesser spotted woodpeckers. Frozen lakes force shy water rails into the open and even wintering bitterns can be seen on the reedbed fringes. Wildfowl and waders reach peak numbers with goldeneyes often found in the quieter pools and on the river. There are also impressive starling roosts.

About Middleton Lakes

Habitat

A land transformed from gravel pit to nature’s paradise. Open water gives way to wet grasslands and reedbeds, meadows and woodland which teem with life.

Conservation

Our reserves are looked after in a way which creates perfect conditions for a wide variety of wildlife.

We make sure our lakes are an idyllic setting for wintering wildfowl such as goosanders, shovelers and wigeons as well as breeding birds including lapwing and little ringed plover. Outside of breeding season we clear vegetation from our islands to benefit lapwings and roosting wader birds, but also to provide better views for our visitors.

Our reedbeds need to be cared for and every year we rake out fallen vegetation, cut back scrub and maintain water levels to help birds such as water rails and reed warblers. We are also looking to increase the size of the reedbeds to create new habitat.

Our Old English longhorn cattle play a considerable part in maintaining our wet grasslands, creating perfect conditions for wintering wildfowl and nesting spots for lapwings and skylarks.

Site information

Just a stone’s throw from Tamworth, this reserve in the Tame Valley is a belter. Since the site was acquired in 2007 it has been transformed into a haven for nature designed so visitors can have wildlife experiences to remember. The area is already one of the best places in the region to see wintering wildfowl such as pochards, tufted ducks and the brilliantly named smews. The ambition is it will become the most important site for breeding waders in the Midlands.

With its wide range of different habitats, it is one of the best birdwatching sites in the area. But it's not just birds – the reserve is also home to otters, butterflies, dragonflies and rare wetland plants.
Special events, including those for families, make it an ideal spot to get outside into nature and discover something new.

Activities and events

Activities for children and families

Our playmeadow has been designed for families. You're encouraged to experience nature up close and personal. Scramble up the grassy mound, find your way around the maze and much more.

For more information on events and to book tickets, please visit events.rspb.org.uk/middletonlakes

Middleton Lakes