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stithians reservoir

The lake covers approximately 270 acres and is owned by South West Water and managed by South West Lakes Trust.

stithians reservoir

The lake covers approximately 270 acres and is owned by South West Water and managed by South West Lakes Trust.

Stithians Reservoir is a water supply reservoir completed in 1967. It covers approximately 110ha (270 acres) and is owned by South West Water, with leisure facilities managed by South West Lakes Trust. It is mostly shallow shelving and is at its deepest in the eastern dam basin. There is an Activity Centre at the north-west of the Lake (TR16 6NW, SW 7090 3690, what3words upstairs.promising.banter) with café and toilet facilities, seasonal car parking charges apply here.

It is possible to walk around the Reservoir, and across the dam (where there is also a car park (SW 7210 3640 what3words extent.asteroid.cheerily), this is a 8km (5 mile) walk, sections of the path can be very muddy following heavy rain and a 1km (0.6 mile) length is along a busy road with no pavement. Fishing, sailing and windsurfing activities are undertaken on the Reservoir. Two causeways were built to carry sections of road that were flooded during Reservoir construction, one at the southern end and the other in the north-west corner near the Golden Lion Inn.

The water level in the Reservoir can fluctuate greatly and, during periods of prolonged dry weather and peak water demand, large expanses of mud are exposed, attracting good numbers of diverse waders, including Dunlin, Plover, Little Stint, Common Sandpiper, Wood Sandpiper and Pectoral Sandpiper. Some of the rarities in recent times are Lesser Scaup, Slavonian Grebe, Long-tailed Duck, Bufflehead Duck, Long-billed Dowitcher and Great White Egret. Osprey also visit in the autumn to hunt for fish which is a thrilling sight.

Two areas of the Reservoir are designated as Nature Reserves, an area to the west of the northern causeway, by the Golden Lion Pub, and a larger area at the southern end of the Reservoir.

Hides

There are three bird hides at Stithians Reservoir:

Golden Lion hide (SW 7080 3725 what3words boring.loudness.appetite). Walk through the wooden gate towards the small SWW pumping station and then follow the wooden boardwalk to the right. Owned and managed by the South West Lakes Trust, this hide overlooks the ‘Golden Lion cut-off’ and is particularly good for viewing waders as the water level in the Reservoir recedes and large areas of mud become exposed. The hide is accessible by buggy and wheelchair.

Stuart Hutchings hide (SW 7135 3510 what3words trombone.barrel.apricot). There is a small layby here and, opposite this a galvanised pedestrian gate provides access to a short footpath to the hide which overlooks the Nature Reserve at the southern end of the Reservoir. This hide is owned and managed by CBWPS and is particularly good for viewing waders as mud is exposed during the summer and also for migrating waterfowl and waders.

Feeder hide (SW 7140 3480 what3words childcare.daydream.dupe). This hide is located on the southern cut-off of the Reservoir and is accessed through a galvanised pedestrian gate and following the footpath for 50m (170ft) alongside the chain-link fence. The hide is owned and managed by CBWPS and looks eastward across a wetland and, during the winter months, bird feeders are maintained here, often attracting Great Spotted Woodpecker, Marsh Tit and Reed Bunting.

stithians reservoir

stithians reservoir

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