Short birdwatching visit · Staffordshire Wildlife Trust
Croxall Lakes
- Tier
- Good stop nearby
- Best season
- Winter ducks; spring and summer waders
- Headline birds
- Wigeon · Teal · Redshank
- Parking
- The entrance parking area has a height barrier and is locked overnight.
- Hides
- Two hides overlook the main lake and the smaller lake and scrape.
- Step-free
- Not stated by the operator
Burton Road near Alrewas, opposite the National Memorial Arboretum
Croxall Lakes offers open-water and scrape watching where the Trent meets the Tame and Mease. The Trust describes winter Wigeon and Teal on the main lake and Redshank among the spring and summer waders around the smaller lake and scrape. Two hides provide different views across the restored quarry landscape. Start from the small reserve car park and keep to the permitted routes: some areas are excluded from public access to protect wildlife. The river-restoration work adds another habitat edge, but it does not create permission to leave the signed paths or enter the sensitive banks.
Birds and seasons
- Wigeon · Headline bird — Winter Source for Wigeon
- Teal · Headline bird — Winter Source for Teal
- Redshank · Headline bird — Spring and summer Source for Redshank
Plan your visit
- Hides and viewpoints
- Two hides overlook the main lake and the smaller lake and scrape.
- Paths
- Fairly flat paths link watching places; respect areas closed for sensitive wildlife.
- Toilets
- Not stated by the operator – check before travelling
- Parking
- The entrance parking area has a height barrier and is locked overnight.
- Dogs
- Dogs must stay on leads within the permitted dog areas.
- Access notes
- The main track has RADAR kissing-gate access; other areas have pedestrian kissing gates.
- Step-free access
- Not stated by the operator – check before travelling
Getting there: Use the reserve’s signed parking arrival near Alrewas rather than the National Memorial Arboretum on the other side of the river. The Trust opens its car park at 8am, locking it at 5pm October–March and 7pm April–September. Check the displayed seasonal signs for the return.
Sources
Social preview: original typographic artwork by Does Your Duck Quack.
Nearby special trips
- Aqualate Mere National Nature Reserve · 25.2 straight-line miles
- Eastern Moors · 38.0 straight-line miles
- Budby South Forest · 43.5 straight-line miles
Continue birding nearby
Nearest full guide: Middleton Lakes, 9.7 miles away in a straight line.
- Tucklesholme · 3.1 miles in a straight line
- Drakelow Nature Reserve · 4.6 miles in a straight line
- Alvecote Pools · 7.3 miles in a straight line