🌞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
☕Café 42 — makes this an easy full-day family visit without needing to pack food
🌤️ 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
☕Café 42 — makes this an easy full-day family visit without needing to pack food
Good to know
£Free to visit — no entry charge
🐕Dogs welcome
🚲Bike parking☕Café🅿️Parking· Free
Best for
9 activities
🦅
Bird watching
Strong match
Nature reserve
Free
🦉
Wildlife
Strong match
Nature reserve
Free
🐶
Dog walks
Strong match
Dogs allowed — nature reserve
Free
🌲
Forest walks
Strong match
Nature reserve
Free
🛝
Family friendly
Good match
café
Free
🍂
Seasonal nature
Good match
Nature reserve — seasonal wildlife and habitats
Free
Trails nearby
Within roughly 5 km
🚶
Walking
▾
7 signed routes nearby · 1 public path nearby
Signed route nearbyPublic paths
Midshires WayWalking route370 km▾
Multi-use trail links the Ridgeway National Trail with the Trans Pennine Trail
Named routeLength 370 kmRegional walking route
Derby Nomad WayWalking route79 km▾
Named routeLength 79 kmRegional walking route
Derwent Valley Heritage WayWalking route89 km▾
Named routeLength 89 kmRegional walking route
Erewash Circular Route 13Walking route▾
Named route
Circular Walk 19Walking route▾
Named route
🚴
Cycling
▾
105 signed routes nearby
Signed route nearby
Route 54Cycling route▾
Named routeRef 54National Cycle Network
Derby Orbital Route 66Cycling route▾
Named routeRef 66Regional cycle route
Route 672Cycling route▾
Named routeRef 672National Cycle Network
Great Northern GreenwayCycling route▾
Named routeRef Great Northern GreenwayLocal cycle route
Pennine CyclewayCycling route▾
Named routeRef 68National Cycle Network
Route 6Cycling route▾
Named routeRef 6National Cycle Network
About this nature reserve
The Sanctuary is a Local Nature Reserve covering 12 hectares in Derby, East Midlands. It includes a range of habitats such as wetlands and woodlands, supporting species like frogs and a diverse bird population for visitors to observe.
