Discover
NATURE
What wildlife
to see in Summer
Heritage
Learning from the past,
building for the future
Adventure
Where the adventure
lasts all day
Whatever your area of interest, Stanwick Lakes offers nature, hertiage and adventure activities for all the family. This page will help you plan your day.
CHARITY NO. 1050157
As wetland habitat, Stanwick Lakes is a designated SSSI (Site of Special Scientific Interest) and provides a home and migratory destination for several key species of waterfowl such as Gadwall (a type of duck) and songbirds such as the Cetti Warbler.
You are able to observe mammals here too, such as otters, squirrels and muntjac deer. There is also the evidence of more inconspicuous animals and insects, which is recorded by regular habitat surveys.
The discovery of several significant finds from important periods in history, the Stanwick Lakes heritage team work to explore the area’s past and bring it to life with events and demonstrations.
With the support of Heritage Lottery.
To create adventure that lasts all day,
Stanwick Lakes offers outdoor play.
You can create your own adventure with a walking route, by following our adventure trail, or even on two wheels!
A TASTER FROM THE BLOG…
Dog Walking Field: 1 Month In
One month in! Stanwick Lakes Dog Walking Field 🐾 It's hard to believe it's been a month, already! We opened our new secure dog walking field in late August - first to our "pupdates pack" - followed by a wider invitation in early September, and since then, we've...
Heritage Build Weekend
A Heritage Build Weekend to Remember - 10th and 11th October 2026 October is set to be an exciting month for heritage at Stanwick Lakes, and our next Heritage Build Weekend on 10th and 11th October is a particularly special one. As part of our From Iron to Empire...
Heritage Open Day at Stanwick Lakes
Heritage Open Days at Stanwick Lakes – Explore 10,000 Years of History! Saturday 20 September | 10am–4pm Less than two weeks to go! Heritage Open Day at Stanwick Lakes is back, and this year we’ve packed the day with an exciting mix of living history, heritage crafts,...
September – events and closures
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...
New Wheelchair-Accessible Play Towers Coming Soon
There’s a lot about to happen in our adventure playground as work gets underway on exciting new accessible play equipment! The new equipment will include wheelchair-accessible towers connected by a raised walkway, along with a slide and sensory play features. Designed with accessibility in mind, the towers can be reached by ramps and will be suitable for wheelchairs, prams and pushchairs. Improvements are also being made to the ground surrounding the equipment to help make the area easier to access and enjoy.
Digging Into the Past: Heritage Talks Return to Stanwick Lakes
Did you know that beneath the beautiful lakes, meadows and footpaths at Stanwick Lakes lies evidence of more than 5,000 years of human history?
This autumn, visitors will have the opportunity to uncover some of those incredible stories through a series of fascinating heritage talks led by two renowned historians and archaeologists.
Northants & Rutland Open Studios at Stanwick Lakes
This September, Stanwick Lakes will be hosting a special exhibition as part of the Northants and Rutland Open Studios Festival, showcasing the work of four talented local artists inspired by the natural world.
Disabled Adventurer to Host Free Film Screening and Talk
Nick Wilson, also known as ‘The Disabled Adventurer’ will arrive at Stanwick Lakes on the 14th of August at 3pm having completed 30miles of North Northamptonshire’s Greenways trail. As part of The Disabled Adventurer’s 50 for 50 accessibility campaign, Nick will be hosting a ‘small and personal get together’ in our Visitors Centre for a film screening and talk.
Charcoal Making
Charcoal Making – a traditional, cyclical story This time, our Ranger Roundup comes with a bit of a twist, as our Rangers have been turning their winter conservation work into something new for our shop. This year, we are making our own charcoal here at Stanwick...
A Modern Artefact Returns Home
A Modern Artefact Returns Home Every landscape has a story, and at Stanwick Lakes, that story spans more than 10,000 years – from the first people to settle beside the River Nene, to the quarry that created the lakes we enjoy today. When people think of museum...