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Willen Lake

5 ha

📷 Steve Daniels · Geograph · CC BY-SA 2.0

WildlifeBirdsDogs

Public accessFree entryDogs welcome5 ha

Getting here

52.05762, -0.71913

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Visiting this summer

Seasonal nature notes and what to look for now

🌞Midsummer — early morning visits most comfortable; look for deer fawns in quieter clearings
🐕Early mornings are best for dog walks in summer — visit before 9am to avoid the heat and find quieter trails
🅿️Parking 319m away — 12 car parks within reach

🌤️ Visiting this summer

🌞Midsummer — early morning visits most comfortable; look for deer fawns in quieter clearings
🐕Early mornings are best for dog walks in summer — visit before 9am to avoid the heat and find quieter trails
🅿️Parking 319m away — 12 car parks within reach

Good to know

£Free to visit — no entry charge
🐕Dogs welcome

Parking

Best for

8 activities

Wildlife

Very strong match

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

Free

Bird watching

Very strong match

Birds — Mute Swan, Great Crested Grebe, Grey Heron +75 more · last seen 2026; Birds — Mute Swan, Great Crested Grebe, Grey Heron +75 more · last seen 2026

Free

Dog walks

Strong match

Dogs allowed with public access

Free

Insect spotting

Good match

Insects — Common Blue Damselfly, Migrant Hawker, Emperor Dragonfly +15 more · last seen 2025; Insects — Common Blue Damselfly, Migrant Hawker, Emperor Dragonfly +15 more · last seen 2025

Free

Seasonal nature

Good match

Plants — Cowslip, White Dead-nettle, Cow Parsley +9 more · last seen 2026; Plants — Cowslip, White Dead-nettle, Cow Parsley +9 more · last seen 2026

Free

Family friendly

Good match

Urban park — family destination

Free

Trails nearby

Within roughly 5 km

🚶

Walking

8 signed routes nearby

Signed route nearby

Midshires WayWalking route370 km

Multi-use trail links the Ridgeway National Trail with the Trans Pennine Trail

Named routeLength 370 kmRegional walking route

Grand Union Canal WalkWalking route

Napton to Coy Carp section

Named routeRegional walking route

Three Shires WayWalking route79 km

49 mile route liking the Swan's Way to the Grafham Water circular walk, which it now incorporates, made up largely of bridleways.

Named routeLength 79 kmRegional walking route

Hanslope Circular RideWalking route

Named routeRegional walking route

Ouse Valley Way 1 (Syresham to Turvey)Walking route

Named routeRegional walking route

🚴

Cycling

134 signed routes nearby

Signed route nearby

Millennium Circular RouteCycling route

Named routeRef MLocal cycle route

Route 6Cycling route

Named routeRef 6National Cycle Network

MK Redway Super Route V11Cycling route

Named routeRef V11Local cycle route

MK Redway Super Route V7Cycling route

Named routeRef V7Local cycle route

MK Redway Super Route V6Cycling route

Named routeRef V6Local cycle route

MK Redway Super Route V4Cycling route

Named routeRef V4Local cycle route

Wildlife to spot

43,825 records · National Biodiversity Network

Wildlife to spot

43,825 records · National Biodiversity Network

🐦

Birds45 species

autumn

2026

Mute Swan · Grey Heron · Coot · Great Crested Grebe · Cormorant +40

Mute SwanCygnus olor
Grey HeronArdea cinerea
CootFulica atra
Great Crested GrebePodiceps cristatus
CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo2025
MoorhenGallinula chloropus
Tufted DuckAythya fuligula
GadwallMareca strepera
Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus
Little GrebeTachybaptus ruficollis2025
LapwingVanellus vanellus
MallardAnas platyrhynchos2025
Carrion CrowCorvus corone2025
Canada GooseBranta canadensis2025
TealAnas crecca
MagpiePica pica2025
Common GullLarus canus2025
Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus2025
Common ScoterMelanitta nigra2025
WoodpigeonColumba palumbus2025
KingfisherAlcedo atthis2025
Long-tailed TitAegithalos caudatus2025
BlackbirdTurdus merula2025
Cetti's WarblerCettia cetti2025
RobinErithacus rubecula2025
GoldeneyeBucephala clangula2025
Black SwanCygnus atratus2025
Pied WagtailMotacilla alba2025
Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus2025
Rock DoveColumba livia2025
GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis2025
DunnockPrunella modularis2025
JayGarrulus glandarius2025
Green WoodpeckerPicus viridis2025
Little EgretEgretta garzetta2025
Green SandpiperTringa ochropus2025
Great TitParus major2025
Water RailRallus aquaticus2025
Larus argentatus argenteusLarus argentatus argenteus2025
SnipeGallinago gallinago2025
Great Black-backed GullLarus marinus2025
JackdawColoeus monedula2025
WrenTroglodytes troglodytes2025
StarlingSturnus vulgaris2025
Herring GullLarus argentatus2025

🐸

Amphibians1 species

spring

2026

Smooth Newt

Smooth NewtLissotriton vulgaris

🌿

Plants12 species

spring

2026

Cowslip · Shepherd's-purse · White Dead-nettle · Cow Parsley · Cleavers +7

CowslipPrimula veris
Shepherd's-purseCapsella bursa-pastoris
White Dead-nettleLamium album
Cow ParsleyAnthriscus sylvestris
CleaversGalium aparine
Lords-and-LadiesArum maculatum
DandelionTaraxacum
DaisyBellis perennis
Lesser CelandineFicaria verna
Common ChickweedStellaria media
Germander SpeedwellVeronica chamaedrys
PrimrosePrimula

Species observations from the last 10 years via NBN Atlas

Wildlife to spot

43,825 records · National Biodiversity Network

🐦

Birds45 species

autumn

2026

Mute Swan · Grey Heron · Coot · Great Crested Grebe · Cormorant +40

Mute SwanCygnus olor
Grey HeronArdea cinerea
CootFulica atra
Great Crested GrebePodiceps cristatus
CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo2025
MoorhenGallinula chloropus
Tufted DuckAythya fuligula
GadwallMareca strepera
Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus
Little GrebeTachybaptus ruficollis2025
LapwingVanellus vanellus
MallardAnas platyrhynchos2025
Carrion CrowCorvus corone2025
Canada GooseBranta canadensis2025
TealAnas crecca
MagpiePica pica2025
Common GullLarus canus2025
Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus2025
Common ScoterMelanitta nigra2025
WoodpigeonColumba palumbus2025
KingfisherAlcedo atthis2025
Long-tailed TitAegithalos caudatus2025
BlackbirdTurdus merula2025
Cetti's WarblerCettia cetti2025
RobinErithacus rubecula2025
GoldeneyeBucephala clangula2025
Black SwanCygnus atratus2025
Pied WagtailMotacilla alba2025
Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus2025
Rock DoveColumba livia2025
GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis2025
DunnockPrunella modularis2025
JayGarrulus glandarius2025
Green WoodpeckerPicus viridis2025
Little EgretEgretta garzetta2025
Green SandpiperTringa ochropus2025
Great TitParus major2025
Water RailRallus aquaticus2025
Larus argentatus argenteusLarus argentatus argenteus2025
SnipeGallinago gallinago2025
Great Black-backed GullLarus marinus2025
JackdawColoeus monedula2025
WrenTroglodytes troglodytes2025
StarlingSturnus vulgaris2025
Herring GullLarus argentatus2025

🐸

Amphibians1 species

spring

2026

Smooth Newt

Smooth NewtLissotriton vulgaris

🌿

Plants12 species

spring

2026

Cowslip · Shepherd's-purse · White Dead-nettle · Cow Parsley · Cleavers +7

CowslipPrimula veris
Shepherd's-purseCapsella bursa-pastoris
White Dead-nettleLamium album
Cow ParsleyAnthriscus sylvestris
CleaversGalium aparine
Lords-and-LadiesArum maculatum
DandelionTaraxacum
DaisyBellis perennis
Lesser CelandineFicaria verna
Common ChickweedStellaria media
Germander SpeedwellVeronica chamaedrys
PrimrosePrimula

Species observations from the last 10 years via NBN Atlas

Wildlife to spot

Photos

📷 Steve Daniels · Geograph · CC BY-SA 2.0

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Nearby places

Useful places within 5 km

🌱Stanton Low ParkUrban park4.3 km→🌱Ouzel Valley ParkUrban park1.4 km→🌱Great Linford Manor ParkUrban park3.2 km→🌱Castle MeadowUrban park3.3 km→🌱Willen LakeUrban park400 m→🌱Canal Open SpaceUrban park1 km→

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