September at Stanwick Lakes: A Month of Heritage, Art and Wildlife…

September at Stanwick Lakes has plenty going on – our heritage volunteer teams are digging into Open Days and Bronze Age burial rites, runners are lacing up for the traffic-free trails, local artists are throwing open their studios, and there’s afternoon tea with live piano to look forward to too.

Three closures to know before you visit

We’re open as usual throughout September and over the Bank Holiday, but please note the following closures and changes to our usual opening hours:

• Saturday 5th September – Visitor Centre closed from 12pm (last orders 11.30am) for a wedding.
  Breakfast and cakes available until 11.30am. The Walker’s Rest and our new shop stay open as normal.
• Monday 7th September – Café closed from 12pm (last orders 11.30am) for kitchen maintenance.
  Breakfast and cakes available until 11.30am; drinks and cakes only available from midday onwards.
• Thursday 17th September – Visitor Centre closed all day for a private function.
  The Walker’s Rest will be open.

Coming up…

Unearthing the past

The month opens with history underfoot. On Thursday 3rd September, archaeologist Professor Stephen Upex kicks off a new series of Heritage Talks with a look at Bronze Age burials and ceremonial landscapes, part of the ongoing From Iron to Empire project. Tickets from £8.

That thread continues later in the month with Heritage Open Day & Build Weekend on Sunday 20th September, a free event where volunteers and experts bring the history of the Nene Valley to life through hands-on heritage projects. Come and watch – or get stuck in.

Art, all month long

Running throughout September, the Northants & Rutland Open Studios exhibition turns the reserve into something of a gallery, with local artists from the Stanwick Art Collective showing off a vivid mix of styles and materials, all inspired by the natural world around them. It’s free, it’s on daily, and if you want to put faces to the work, Sunday 6th September is your chance – that’s when the artists themselves will be on hand for a Meet the Artists session.

On your marks

Runners, this one’s for you. The Autumn Run returns on Sunday 6th September, with 5k, 10k and half marathon routes winding along the reserve’s scenic, traffic-free paths. Whether you’re chasing a personal best or just want a good excuse for a Sunday morning outdoors, it’s suited to beginners and seasoned runners alike – but entries close this week, potentially as soon as Wednesday, so don’t leave it too late.

Get out and explore

For younger nature enthusiasts, Friday 11th September brings a Bat Walk for ages 11–17, part of the Nene Valley Mammal Youth Group series. Teamed up with the Nene Valley Bat Group, participants will head out after dark with bat detectors to listen in on the reserve’s echolocating residents (children must be accompanied by an adult).

Birdwatchers get their turn on Sunday 20th September, with a Guided Bird Walk led by the RSPB Mid-Nene Group. Over two hours, expert ornithologists will help you spot and identify birds by sight and sound – tickets from £3.

Afternoon tea and live piano

If your idea of a perfect afternoon involves neither running nor bat detectors, Saturday 12th September offers a gentler alternative: Afternoon Tea with Craig Nathan, who’ll be playing live piano and taking requests throughout the afternoon. Pick your favourite songs and settle in for an afternoon of music, tea and good company.

Make something new

Beyond the events calendar, our autumn programme of arts and crafts workshops is now open for booking, with sessions for adults spanning both the traditional and the contemporary – think stained glass, working with copper, mixed media, and seasonal wreath making. It’s a good moment to learn something new before the year turns.

A first look at Christmas

It might still be September, but Christmas at Stanwick Lakes is already taking shape. Our Christmas Grotto is now open for bookings, with more festive events and activities being added to the programme regularly. You can also add an Elfish Activity Passport to your Grotto booking for extra festive fun, including our trail, crafts and pottery activities.

That’s September at Stanwick Lakes – a month with something for the history buffs, the runners, the artists and the tea lovers alike. We hope to see you out on the reserve soon.

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