Staunton Harold Reservoir — Local services in South Derbyshire

Yesterday I intended to take my Grandchildren to the Playground at this location! I parked my car in the car park and paid £3 for a parking ticket. We then discovered that the playground was totally barricaded off to allow for renovations. No signs had warned of this on entrance to the car park or on the payment meters ? I then attended the office in an effort to recover my £3 parking fee. To be told by an uninterested female member of staff to dive two miles to Foremark Reservoir, where my parking ticket would be valid and where there was another playground! No refund offered ! Why were there no signs placed warning visitors of the closure, before people fed money into the payment meters or entered the car park. This the female member of staff made no attempt to explain, and closed the office door in my face !! Where was the customer service ? Considering the cost of fuel in these current times, instructing people to drive 2 miles to obtain an alternative, is not acceptable. I for one will never attempt a re-visit and suggest others reading this review select a friendlier and more deserving venue in the...

Great trip out! Came here to tick another one off the National Trust list (free for NT although if you aren't a NT member you can just pay for parking!). Nice clean toilets, lovely NT cafe, children's play area overlooking the reservoir with plenty of picnic benches.

The wildflower walk is great for all abilities: there is a tarmac accessible path, slightly off road between the wildflowers, and very off road by the lake. It's lovely with the lake in the back ground and wildflowers all around! We walked all the way to the end of the walk and out of the gate towards Calke Abbey.

This next section is not suitable for wheelchairs or pushchairs. Over the style and through the field, over another style and through a wheat field. At the end of the field you can go left towards Calke Abbey but we went right towards the Limeyard Lakes. Follow the path and then take the left fork. It takes you towards Ticknall Limeyards, through what feels like a movie set for Jurassic Park! Well worth a walk. It's about 4 miles to Ticknall Limeyards and back to the NT Car Park. Just gorgeous. Not a sound but the...

Car parking available. This can be paid with cash or card at the machine.. It costs £3 maximum. Toilets are here including disabled toilets. There's a cafe too, although closed on a Thursday when I went due to staffing issues. Play area for children with climbing frames. You can walk partially around the lake, but the other parts are shut off to the public. This makes it quite a short walk. The paths are tarmac and wellies arnt necessary even in winter. Buggies can use the paths easily. Dogs can be let off leads further down the path, away from the car park where there are a few areas of grass leading down to the water... although these grass areas are currently muddy. Nice lake to visit if you're passing, but I wouldn't make a specific journey to go again as disappointed that you cannot...