NATURE
What wildlife
to see in Summer
Heritage
Learning from the past,
building for the future
Adventure
Where the adventure
lasts all day
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
Charging period |
Charges per car |
| Up to 2 hours £3.70 Up to 4 hours £4.90 All day £6.90 |
|
| Minibus (9 seater +) £30.00 Coach (17 seater +) £60.00 |
|
|
Membership |
£48 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:
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
Watercolour Art Workshop for Young People (aged 10 – 18)
Big Easter Craft Club
Mixed Media Painting Workshop
Willow Weaving Course: Obelisk & Bird Feeder
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…
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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…
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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!
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acres of open space
miles of scenic paths
days of the year
LATEST NEWS
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...
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.
Keeping Wildlife Safe: Dog Incident – Ranger Report.
Recently, the Ranger team received a report from a member of the public that a badly injured deer had been spotted on one of the paths here at Stanwick Lakes. The Rangers headed out straight away to assist. The deer was found to have been attacked by two off-lead dogs...
Guest Post: More Than Mushrooms: The Vital Role of Fungi at Stanwick Lakes, by Tom Haddon
The Unsung Heroes of Stanwick Lakes: The Hidden World of Fungi This is a guest blog written by Tom Heddon, a student at the University of Northampton, who has been surveying areas at Stanwick Lakes as part of his dissertation research. We're delighted to share his...
Important March Closure Dates – Visitor Centre and Café
Visitor Centre and Café closures March is a busy month at Stanwick Lakes, and while there is plenty happening across the site, we want to share a clear update about two temporary closures at the Visitor Centre and main café. Visitor Centre and Café - Closed on:...
Why Nature Can Boost Workplace Creativity and Improve Wellbeing
Modern workplaces are designed for productivity, but creativity or wellbeing may not always be the first consideration. Open-plan offices, constant notifications and back-to-back meetings can leave employees mentally overloaded and creatively drained. Increasingly,...
How do we love Stanwick Lakes? Let’s count the ways!
Celebrate 20 years of Stanwick Lakes with our “Let Me Count the Ways” campaign – 20 simple ways you can support the site, its volunteers, and the charity that keeps it thriving throughout 2026.
Team-Building Activities That Really Improve Collaboration
When people hear “team building”, they often think of awkward icebreakers or generic group exercises. But the most effective team-building experiences are far more meaningful. The right activities can break down barriers, build trust, improve communication, and help...
Why do so many offsites still happen in hotel conference rooms?
For many years, hotel conference rooms or similar, seem to have been the default setting for corporate offsites, away days and team meetings. They’re familiar, predictable, and easy to book. But familiarity doesn't always deliver the effectiveness and productivity...
From Iron To Empire – An exciting new Heritage Project begins!
Discover how Stanwick Lakes is uncovering its Roman past through the new From Iron to Empire heritage project. From experimental archaeology and Roman textiles to causeway building and a new log boat, the project brings the hidden history of the Nene Valley to life with the help of volunteers and communities.
Water levels: map and walking routes
Following recent rainfall and changing conditions along the River Nene, water levels at Stanwick Lakes are currently higher in some areas. As the site sits within a floodplain, path conditions can change quickly and, at this time, this is not always due to local...
Junior Rangers: A Year In Review
A look back at what the Stanwick Lakes Junior Rangers got up to over the course of 2025 – from wildlife surveys and conservation tasks to creative projects and hands-on learning in nature.
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!