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WEATHER: 7th Dec. We remain open. Due to weather warnings in please take care. We are monitoring the site and will update any information here.

Winter Hours: From 26/10/24 the carpark is locked at 5.30pm.

The Visitor Centre closes at 5pm.  Café is open until 3pm, or 4pm during weekends and the school holidays.

Please note, the waterplay feature is closed Monday mornings for routine cleaning and maintenance.

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NATURE

What wildlife
to see in Summer

Heritage

Learning from the past,
building for the future

Adventure

Where the adventure
lasts all day

Stanwick Lakes is a unique 750 acre nature reserve and countryside attraction located in the heart of Northamptonshire’s Nene Valley.

CHARITY NO. 1050157

Visitor information :

Hours

Find Us

Parking

Accessibility

Contact

Visitor Opening times

Please see the table below for the current opening times.

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Date
Site opening Times
Visitor Centre Opening Times
January – March 7am – 5pm 10am – 4pm
April to September 7am – 7pm 10am – 5pm
October-December 7am – 5pm 10am – 4pm

How to find us

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Stanwick Lakes is situated off the Stanwick roundabout on the A45 in East Northamptonshire between Wellingborough (eight miles away) and Thrapston (seven miles away).

The postcode for Sat Nav directions is NN9 6GY.

Parking and prices

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Thank you for paying to park!

Did you know that Stanwick Lakes is run by Rockingham Forest Trust, a local environmental charity?

Every time you pay the car park charges at Stanwick Lakes you are supporting the conservation and maintenance work that takes place on the site. This includes managing the nature reserve for wildlife, looking after the play equipment and maintaining miles of paths for walking and cycling.

Car Parking Charges 2023

Charging period
Charges per car
28th-31st March  Up to 2 hours £3.00
Up to 4 hours £4.50
1st April – 30th September Variable charge:
Up to 2 hours £3.30
Up to 4 hours £4.80
All day £6.30
1st Oct 31st December Variable charge:
Up to 2 hours £3.00
All day £4.50
Membership £42 per household per year

Closed Christmas Day

Accessibility

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The majority of the site’s facilities are wheelchair accessible, including the visitor centre, toilets, feeding station and water’s edge bird hides, the network of footpaths and cycle paths, and areas within the central adventure playground. A lift is situated in the café area to allow disabled visitors to access the mezzanine area where the archaeological finds are kept, including the section of Roman floor mosaic.

Contact Us

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01933 625 522

info@rftrust.org.uk

Follow us on social media:

There are extensive and imaginative play areas, open spaces and paths that families, walkers, cyclists and nature lovers can explore at leisure. There are also specially considered areas dedicated to nature and its wildlife, as well as the history of the site.
Stanwick Lakes is managed as a social enterprise by the environmental charity,
Rockingham Forest Trust. All Income from our visitors directly supports the cost of running the site, including conservation work and educational events.

Upcoming Events

  • Learn At The Lakes – Various Dates

    1st June 2024 - 31st December 2025
    10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
  • Parent & Toddler Groups

    6th September 2024 - 31st December 2024
    10:30 AM - 12:00 PM
  • Santa’s Grotto

    30th November 2024 - 23rd December 2024
    10:00 AM - 4:30 PM
  • The Festival Of Mid-Winter

    15th December 2024 - 15th December 2024
    11:00 AM - 3:00 PM
  • Feast & Festivities – Festive Chunky Knitting

    17th December 2024 - 19th December 2024
    12:00 PM - 3:30 PM
  • Lantern Walk & Lakeside Carols

    20th December 2024 - 20th December 2024
    5:00 PM - 8:00 PM
  • Santa Run

    22nd December 2024 - 22nd December 2024
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  • Lantern Walk & Lakeside Carols

    22nd December 2024 - 22nd December 2024
    5:00 PM - 8:00 PM

    The visitor centre, with café, shop and function space, hosts many events, family celebrations, business meetings and craft workshops throughout the year.

    THINGS TO DO…

    NATURE

    Visit a birdhide

    One of the best ways to take in all that a wetlands site has to offer is to stop off at several hides dotted around the reserve, and see what you can spot…

    Read More

    HERITAGE

    Go back in time!

    Notice the stone marker posts, each carved with an historical era? These form part of our Heritage Trail and each of the six stones marks the site of an important historic settlement…

    Read More

    ADVENTURE

    Imaginative play

    Get active and explore our adventure playground, assault course, adventure trail, dotted around the reserve, including water play and a zip line!

    Read More

    acres of open space

    miles of scenic paths

    days of the year

    LATEST NEWS

    Wildlife Volunteer Team Round Up 2022

    Wildlife Volunteer Team Round Up 2022

    In the spring of 2022, we set up a new volunteer group– the Stanwick Lakes Wildlife Volunteer Team (WVT). The team meet up on the last Friday morning of the month to undertake tasks that help us to conserve the nature reserve at Stanwick Lakes, including monitoring...

    read more
    Creating a Moment in History – Stanwick Lakes Heritage

    Creating a Moment in History – Stanwick Lakes Heritage

    Over the past 12 years, Stanwick Lakes have been fortunate enough to receive Heritage Lottery funding for a number of projects exploring the heritage and history of the site and surrounding valley. Carrying on from the successes of these legacy heritage projects, our new ambitious 3 year venture, funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund, will delve into the Bronze Age and the Iron Age, exploring their monuments and settlements with one aim – to bring the past to life.

    read more
    Water levels: map and walking routes

    Water levels: map and walking routes

    At times of very heavy rain, or flooding in the county, water levels at Stanwick Lakes can change quickly. Sometimes this isn't due to rainfall, but factors occurring further along the River Nene, and due to the area being a floodplain. Flooding can sometimes affect...

    read more
    1 year review with Ranger Isaac!

    1 year review with Ranger Isaac!

    To celebrate one year as part of the team here at Stanwick Lakes, we asked Ranger Isaac to write a blog, reflection on his time with us so far…

    Isaac joined our team as part of the Groundwork UK initiative, New to Nature. New to Nature, funded by The National Lottery Heritage Fund, helps young people get into green careers, especially those who might otherwise have found it difficult to access the conservation sector.

    read more
    From volunteering on conservation or heritage projects, to sponsoring a bird box, or partnering with us as a business, find out the many ways you can contribute to your local environmental charity.

    A unique setting, convenient location, and with ample facilities, you can make your event one to remember at Stanwick Lakes. Our flexible indoor and outdoor spaces and our experienced team, and specialist knowledge can help with you shape your event into something unique.

    Every Visit Counts

    The visitor centre, with café, shop and function spaces is ran as a social enterprise, which very much supports the charity, with all income. The setting for many events, family celebrations, business meetings and craft workshops throughout the year, we can cater for any event.

    So there’s always enough going on to work up an appetite!

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