Idle Valley
One of the largest sites for nature conservation in the East Midlands
Location
Know before you go
Dogs
Please keep dogs on leads near sheep and cattle on site.
When to visit
Opening times
Car park open 9am - 7pm in summer and 9am-5pm in winter.Car parking donations welcomed.
Visitor Centre & Café
During Summer (from when the clocks go forward)
Monday to Friday: 10am to 5pm, Café closes at 4.30pm. Weekend: 9am to 6pm, Café closes at 5.00pm.
During Winter (from when the clocks go back)
We open at 9am and close at 4pm every day. Food (kitchen) stops at 3pm
Picnic benches are available outside. Toilets are available (during centre opening times).
Centre is closed on Christmas Day.
We welcome well-behaved owners and their dogs in our visitor centre but please be considerate to those who are less confident around dogs.
Best time to visit
All year roundAbout the reserve
This reserve consists of a beautiful 375ha network of lakes, wetland, grassland and scrub. It is home to a diverse range of wildlife and is recognised as one of the richest birding sites in the region. Look out for birds such as gadwall and little grebe in winter and breeding wading birds including little ringed plover and redshank in spring and summer. The Idle Valley Rural Learning Centre is a high quality educational facility based at the south end of the site and is a venue for a range of training courses and events.