Titchmarsh Nature Reserve — Attraction in Aldwincle

Lovely quiet location just north of Thrapston in East Northamptonshire. Good for a quick stroll with the dog. Would also suit bigger exploring. The reserve is 72.7 hectares and is managed by the Wildlife Trust for Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Northamptonshire. It has pretty wildlife. This scenic walk part of the Nene Way long distance footpath that runs from Northamptonshire through 114 miles all the way to The Wash. The nature reserve allows for a smaller walk of around an hour and a half around the lakes. There are a number of bird watching hides and the surrounding arable farming fields offer exciting views of maize fields and other produce. Titchmarsh Nature Reserve is our new default stop off on a long car trip down the country to break journey and avoid motorway service stations. The dog and children have even found an idillic spot for paddling in the stream before being squished back in the car. I have heard some complain that the reserve isn't signposted at all and that there is little direction or marked paths. This wasn't our experience and we had fun exploring at our own pace. It all seemed fairly clear and obvious. I've heard that Peter Scott (son of Antarctic adventurer Captain Robert Scott) the British painter, conservationist and ornithologist and founder of the Severn Wildlife Trust was inspired to paint some of his bird and wildlife paintings by this area. Dog and children happy! EDIT: Although Winter 2023 its a bit muddy bring...

This nature reserve has a path all the way around. There are 2 places to park. You can park at thrapston gravel pits which is behind Nene valley surgery thrapston. Drive down the thin road at the side of the surgery to the left. Parking is free. You can also park in Aldwinkle in a small car park off of Lowick Lane next to the bend. Dogs must be kept on leads. The paths are fairly easy but not suitable for pushchairs. Very muddy in winter. No toilets or cafes. A few benches to rest on, on the way around. A few bird hide huts too. It took us an hour and 15 minutes to walk around at a fairly slow pace. A nice non commercial place to walk, and you can make the walk slightly longer with a few off shoots...

Great reserve to explore, well signposted routes, pleasant walk beside the Nene and plenty of birds to spot both on the Nene and lakes. Car park has a height barrier, and only has limited places but it is possible to park on the road. The only thing which tainted our visit was a few "special" people who think the signs to keep dogs on lead doesn't apply to them, thankfully the majority of dogs were well behaved...