Overview
Clophill Lakes Nature Reserve OPEN 9 am – 5 pm daily
- The Lakes: As a former Fuller’s Earth quarry, the site has been shaped by its industrial heritage. Warren Lake and Castle Lake lie where the quarry extraction took place, and the whole site has become a haven for wildlife.
- Habitats: the nature reserve offers a mosaic of habitats such as wetlands, flower-rich grasslands and woodland which support a wide range of species including otters, dragonflies and damselflies and wetland birds. important haven for wildlife. It includes the Cainhoe Lakes County Wildlife Site (CWS), recognised for its habitat mosaic of semi-improved acid and neutral grassland, plant species, woodland, scrub, hedgerows, marshy grassland, swamp, ditches, ponds and lakes. It is also recognised for its wintering birds – both waders and wildfowl. Areas of the site are part of the Flit Valley County Wildlife Site and River County Wildlife Site.
- River Flit: the site lies in the heart of the Flit Valley and is carved by the River Flit which runs with through it.
- Facilities: The Riverside Visitor Centre with its Riverside Café serving barista coffee from local suppliers Wooden Hill and light snacks.
Clophill Cafe –Access
Vehicle and main entrance 300 yards along Shefford Road from the junction with the A507 near Cainhoe Wood Golf Club. Pedestrian access is available from A507 and Clophill village (see map)
Our Ranger team try their hardest to open up and close at the advertised times, but there may be times when circumstances do not allow this. We will try to keep these to a minimum. Please make sure you exit the nature reserve before closing time, as we don’t want any visitors to be locked in!
- Car park – 9 am – 5 pm
- Riverside Café – 10 am to 3 pm
- Toilets – 9 am – 4 pm
CLOSED CHRISTMAS DAY ONLY
Riverside Cafe open 10 am – 3 pm
(card or contactless payment only, please)
Parking
Major new parking facilities. Currently £3.50 for 3 hours or £5.50 for the day.
