Short birdwatching visit · Derbyshire Wildlife Trust
Drakelow Nature Reserve
- Tier
- Good stop nearby
- Best season
- Summer for Reed Warbler; winter for wildfowl and possible Bittern
- Headline birds
- Water Rail · Reed Warbler · Cormorant
- Parking
- Permit holders park inside the former power-station grounds, following the Trust’s advance access instructions.
- Hides
- Two hides close to the parking area are accessible; northern hides have muddy approaches or steps.
- Step-free
- The nearby hides and firm southern-boundary track offer easier access; northern hides are not wheelchair accessible.
Near Burton upon Trent
Drakelow occupies former gravel pits and riverside meadows on a meander of the River Trent. Derbyshire Wildlife Trust names summer Reed Warbler, resident Water Rail and breeding or roosting Cormorant among its birds. Hides and viewing screens make it a purposeful wetland birding destination, but a visit requires prior arrangements: obtain the Trust’s permit and access details before travelling. The reserve opens during daylight hours and can become inaccessible when the floodplain is under water. Some watching areas have good tracks and boardwalks, while northern hides involve muddier paths or steps.
Birds and seasons
- Water Rail · Headline bird — Resident Source for Water Rail
- Reed Warbler · Headline bird — Summer Source for Reed Warbler
- Cormorant · Headline bird — Season not stated by source Source for Cormorant
Plan your visit
- Hides and viewpoints
- Two hides close to the parking area are accessible; northern hides have muddy approaches or steps.
- Paths
- Good tracks and boardwalks serve the nearby hides; farther routes are more uneven. Flooding can make the reserve inaccessible.
- Toilets
- Not stated by the operator – check before travelling
- Parking
- Permit holders park inside the former power-station grounds, following the Trust’s advance access instructions.
- Dogs
- Only assistance dogs are permitted.
- Access notes
- The nearby hides and firm southern-boundary track offer easier access; northern hides are not wheelchair accessible.
- Step-free access
- The nearby hides and firm southern-boundary track offer easier access; northern hides are not wheelchair accessible.
Getting there: Contact Derbyshire Wildlife Trust to arrange the required permit before using the Walton Road approach. The pin is the published reserve reference, not a promise that the gate will be open. No access code is published here.
Sources
Social preview: original typographic artwork by Does Your Duck Quack.
Nearby special trips
- Aqualate Mere National Nature Reserve · 27.0 straight-line miles
- Eastern Moors · 33.8 straight-line miles
- Budby South Forest · 39.0 straight-line miles
Continue birding nearby
Nearest full guide: Middleton Lakes, 13.9 miles away in a straight line.
- Tucklesholme · 1.5 miles in a straight line
- Croxall Lakes · 4.6 miles in a straight line
- Willington Wetlands · 6.1 miles in a straight line