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Gorpley Reservoir

14 ha

📷 Chris Heaton · Geograph · CC BY-SA 2.0

WildlifeBirdsSeasonal

Free entryDogs welcome14 ha

Getting here

53.70281, -2.13773

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Visiting this summer

Seasonal nature notes and what to look for now

🌞Midsummer — dragonfly and damselfly activity peaks along water edges
🌿Foraging is at its best in summer here
🐕Dogs welcome — bring water in summer; the site has enough space to find shade on hot days

🌤️ Visiting this summer

🌞Midsummer — dragonfly and damselfly activity peaks along water edges
🌿Foraging is at its best in summer here
🐕Dogs welcome — bring water in summer; the site has enough space to find shade on hot days

Good to know

£Free to visit — no entry charge
🐕Dogs welcome

Best for

5 activities

Wildlife

Very strong match

Multi-group wildlife — Amphibians, Birds, Mammals; Multi-group wildlife — Amphibians, Birds, Mammals

Free

Bird watching

Very strong match

Birds — Skylark, Meadow Pipit, Carrion Crow +58 more · last seen 2025; Birds — Skylark, Meadow Pipit, Carrion Crow +58 more · last seen 2025

Free

Seasonal nature

Strong match

Plants — Japanese Knotweed, Himalayan Balsam, Ivy-leaved Toadflax +136 more · last seen 2026; Plants — Japanese Knotweed, Himalayan Balsam, Ivy-leaved Toadflax +136 more · last seen 2026

Free

Insect spotting

Strong match

Insects — Rhyacophila dorsalis, Hydropsyche siltalai, Sericostoma personatum +25 more · last seen 2025; Insects — Rhyacophila dorsalis, Hydropsyche siltalai, Sericostoma personatum +25 more · last seen 2025

Free

Foraging

Strong match

Plants — Blackthorn, Flowering Currant, Wood-sorrel +7 more foraging species

Varies

Trails nearby

Within roughly 5 km

🚶

Walking

12 signed routes nearby

Signed route nearby

Mary Towneley LoopWalking route

Forms part of Pennine Bridleway National Trail

Named routeRegional walking route

Irwell Sculpture TrailWalking route

Named routeRegional walking route

Rochdale WayWalking route

Named routeRef RochRegional walking route

Rossendale WayWalking route

A high-level route around Bacup, Rawtenstall, Haslingden and Whitworth in the Rossendale Valley, crossing the open moors and farmland of the South Pennines which roughly follows the Rossendale Borough boundary.

Named routeRegional walking route

Todmorden Centenary WayWalking route

Named routeLocal walking route

🚴

Cycling

74 signed routes nearby

Signed route nearby

Route 66Cycling route

Named routeRef 66National Cycle Network

Cycle routeCycling route

Named routeRef 661Local cycle route

Todmorden High School Safe Route to SchoolCycling route

Named routeLocal cycle route

Route 92Cycling route

Named routeRef 92Regional cycle route

Britannia GreenwayCycling route

Named routeLocal cycle route

Whitworth GreenwayCycling route

Named routeLocal cycle route

🚵

Mountain biking

3 signed routes nearby

Signed route nearby

Great North Trail (Peak District and South Pennines)Mountain bike route130.4 km

Named routeLength 130.4 kmNational Cycle Network

Lee Quarry Red RouteMountain bike route

Named route

Lee Quarry Black RouteMountain bike route

Named route

Wildlife to spot

903 records · National Biodiversity Network

Wildlife to spot

903 records · National Biodiversity Network

🐦

Birds37 species

springsummer

2025

Skylark · Carrion Crow · Meadow Pipit · Canada Goose · Jackdaw +32

SkylarkAlauda arvensis2024
Carrion CrowCorvus corone2024
Meadow PipitAnthus pratensis2024
Canada GooseBranta canadensis
JackdawColoeus monedula
Reed BuntingEmberiza schoeniclus2024
WrenTroglodytes troglodytes2024
StonechatSaxicola rubicola2024
WheatearOenanthe oenanthe2024
Common SandpiperActitis hypoleucos2023
WoodpigeonColumba palumbus
MallardAnas platyrhynchos
MagpiePica pica2024
SnipeGallinago gallinago2024
CurlewNumenius arquata2024
Barn OwlTyto alba2024
KestrelFalco tinnunculus2024
StarlingSturnus vulgaris2024
OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegus2024
Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus2023
Reed WarblerAcrocephalus scirpaceus2023
SwallowHirundo rustica2023
PheasantPhasianus colchicus2023
DipperCinclus cinclus
RavenCorvus corax
Rock DoveColumba livia
Long-tailed TitAegithalos caudatus
Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus2024
Little OwlAthene noctua2024
Stock DoveColumba oenas2024
GoosanderMergus merganser2023
ChaffinchFringilla coelebs2023
RobinErithacus rubecula2023
GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis2023
FieldfareTurdus pilaris2023
BlackbirdTurdus merula2023
Grasshopper WarblerLocustella naevia2022

🦌

Mammals2 species

springsummer

2022

Roe Deer · Red Fox

Roe DeerCapreolus capreolus
Red FoxVulpes vulpes2021

🐝

Insects5 species

summer

2025

River Skater · Common Red Soldier Beetle · Green Shieldbug · Western Honey Bee · Yellow-legged Furrow Bee

River SkaterAquarius najas
Common Red Soldier BeetleRhagonycha fulva
Green ShieldbugPalomena prasina
Western Honey BeeApis mellifera2024
Yellow-legged Furrow BeeHalictus rubicundus2023

🌿

Plants35 species

springsummerautumn

2026

Japanese Knotweed · Ivy-leaved Toadflax · Salmonberry · Blackthorn · Sycamore +30

Japanese KnotweedReynoutria japonica2024
Ivy-leaved ToadflaxCymbalaria muralis
SalmonberryRubus spectabilis2025
BlackthornPrunus spinosa2025
SycamoreAcer pseudoplatanus2025
Flowering CurrantRibes sanguineum2024
FoxgloveDigitalis purpurea2023
Butterfly-bushBuddleja davidii
Heath BedstrawGalium saxatile2025
Round-leaved CrowfootRanunculus omiophyllus2025
Yellow PimpernelLysimachia nemorum2025
Wall-rueAsplenium ruta-muraria2025
Scaly Male-fernDryopteris affinis2025
AlderAlnus glutinosa2025
Heath RushJuncus squarrosus2025
Lesser PeriwinkleVinca minor2025
MeadowsweetFilipendula ulmaria2025
CowslipPrimula veris2025
Bush VetchVicia sepium2024
Field HorsetailEquisetum arvense2024
ElderSambucus nigra2024
Horse-chestnutAesculus hippocastanum2023
HeatherCalluna vulgaris2023
FuchsiaFuchsia magellanica2023
RowanSorbus aucuparia2023
Himalayan BalsamImpatiens glandulifera2023
Herb-RobertGeranium robertianum2023
Large BindweedCalystegia silvatica2023
Welsh PoppyPapaver cambricum2023
Himalayan ClematisClematis montana2023
Lesser CelandineFicaria verna2022
Great Wood-rushLuzula sylvatica2022
Intermediate PolypodyPolypodium interjectum2022
Rubus rubritinctusRubus rubritinctus2022
YarrowAchillea millefolium2021

Species observations from the last 10 years via NBN Atlas

Wildlife to spot

903 records · National Biodiversity Network

🐦

Birds37 species

springsummer

2025

Skylark · Carrion Crow · Meadow Pipit · Canada Goose · Jackdaw +32

SkylarkAlauda arvensis2024
Carrion CrowCorvus corone2024
Meadow PipitAnthus pratensis2024
Canada GooseBranta canadensis
JackdawColoeus monedula
Reed BuntingEmberiza schoeniclus2024
WrenTroglodytes troglodytes2024
StonechatSaxicola rubicola2024
WheatearOenanthe oenanthe2024
Common SandpiperActitis hypoleucos2023
WoodpigeonColumba palumbus
MallardAnas platyrhynchos
MagpiePica pica2024
SnipeGallinago gallinago2024
CurlewNumenius arquata2024
Barn OwlTyto alba2024
KestrelFalco tinnunculus2024
StarlingSturnus vulgaris2024
OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegus2024
Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus2023
Reed WarblerAcrocephalus scirpaceus2023
SwallowHirundo rustica2023
PheasantPhasianus colchicus2023
DipperCinclus cinclus
RavenCorvus corax
Rock DoveColumba livia
Long-tailed TitAegithalos caudatus
Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus2024
Little OwlAthene noctua2024
Stock DoveColumba oenas2024
GoosanderMergus merganser2023
ChaffinchFringilla coelebs2023
RobinErithacus rubecula2023
GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis2023
FieldfareTurdus pilaris2023
BlackbirdTurdus merula2023
Grasshopper WarblerLocustella naevia2022

🦌

Mammals2 species

springsummer

2022

Roe Deer · Red Fox

Roe DeerCapreolus capreolus
Red FoxVulpes vulpes2021

🐝

Insects5 species

summer

2025

River Skater · Common Red Soldier Beetle · Green Shieldbug · Western Honey Bee · Yellow-legged Furrow Bee

River SkaterAquarius najas
Common Red Soldier BeetleRhagonycha fulva
Green ShieldbugPalomena prasina
Western Honey BeeApis mellifera2024
Yellow-legged Furrow BeeHalictus rubicundus2023

🌿

Plants35 species

springsummerautumn

2026

Japanese Knotweed · Ivy-leaved Toadflax · Salmonberry · Blackthorn · Sycamore +30

Japanese KnotweedReynoutria japonica2024
Ivy-leaved ToadflaxCymbalaria muralis
SalmonberryRubus spectabilis2025
BlackthornPrunus spinosa2025
SycamoreAcer pseudoplatanus2025
Flowering CurrantRibes sanguineum2024
FoxgloveDigitalis purpurea2023
Butterfly-bushBuddleja davidii
Heath BedstrawGalium saxatile2025
Round-leaved CrowfootRanunculus omiophyllus2025
Yellow PimpernelLysimachia nemorum2025
Wall-rueAsplenium ruta-muraria2025
Scaly Male-fernDryopteris affinis2025
AlderAlnus glutinosa2025
Heath RushJuncus squarrosus2025
Lesser PeriwinkleVinca minor2025
MeadowsweetFilipendula ulmaria2025
CowslipPrimula veris2025
Bush VetchVicia sepium2024
Field HorsetailEquisetum arvense2024
ElderSambucus nigra2024
Horse-chestnutAesculus hippocastanum2023
HeatherCalluna vulgaris2023
FuchsiaFuchsia magellanica2023
RowanSorbus aucuparia2023
Himalayan BalsamImpatiens glandulifera2023
Herb-RobertGeranium robertianum2023
Large BindweedCalystegia silvatica2023
Welsh PoppyPapaver cambricum2023
Himalayan ClematisClematis montana2023
Lesser CelandineFicaria verna2022
Great Wood-rushLuzula sylvatica2022
Intermediate PolypodyPolypodium interjectum2022
Rubus rubritinctusRubus rubritinctus2022
YarrowAchillea millefolium2021

Species observations from the last 10 years via NBN Atlas

Wildlife to spot

Photos

📷 Chris Heaton · Geograph · CC BY-SA 2.0

Gorpley Reservoir

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Useful places within 5 km

🌱Centre Vale ParkUrban park2.7 km→🌱Pollination StreetUrban park3.1 km→🌱Patmos GardenUrban park3.1 km→🌱Patmos GardenUrban park3.1 km→🌱Moorlands ParkUrban park4.3 km→🌱Moorlands ParkUrban park4.3 km→

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