← Back💧 Reservoir

William Girling Reservoir

275 ha

WildlifeBirdsInsects

Free entryDogs welcome275 ha

Getting here

51.63054, -0.02592

Open directionsv

Google Maps↗Driving directions Apple Maps↗Driving directions Waze↗Live driving navigation Google Transit↗Bus, rail or tram Apple Transit↗Bus, rail or tram

Visiting this summer

Seasonal nature notes and what to look for now

🌞Midsummer — dragonfly and damselfly activity peaks along water edges
🐕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
🐕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

Bike parkingParking

Best for

3 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 — Woodpigeon, Magpie, Coot +90 more · last seen 2026; Birds — Woodpigeon, Magpie, Coot +90 more · last seen 2026

Free

Insect spotting

Good match

Insects — Orange Ladybird, Helophilus pendulus, Stictopleurus punctatonervosus +3 more · last seen 2025; Insects — Orange Ladybird, Helophilus pendulus, Stictopleurus punctatonervosus +3 more · last seen 2025

Free

Trails nearby

Within roughly 5 km

🚶

Walking

20 signed routes nearby

Signed route nearby

LOOP link to Gordon Hill stationWalking route

Named routeRegional walking route

New River LinkWalking route

Named routeRef NR linkLocal walking route

Epping Forest Big WalkWalking route

Named routeLocal walking route

London LOOP (Section 19)Walking route

Named routeRef LOOPRegional walking route

LOOP link to Enfield Lock stationWalking route

Named routePoint-to-pointRegional walking route

🚴

Cycling

162 signed routes nearby

Signed route nearby

Route (12)Cycling route

Alternative (step-free) route avoiding railway bridge

Named routeRef (12)Local cycle route

LCN 88Cycling route

Named routeRef 88Local cycle route

NCN National Route 1Cycling route

Named routeRef 1National Cycle Network

Roding Valley WayCycling route

Named routeRef RVWPoint-to-pointLocal cycle route

Cycleway 1Cycling route

Named routeRef C1Regional cycle route

Cycleway 26Cycling route

Named routeRef C26Regional cycle route

Wildlife to spot

23,795 records · National Biodiversity Network

Wildlife to spot

23,795 records · National Biodiversity Network

🐦

Birds61 species

winter

2026

Magpie · Woodpigeon · Pied Wagtail · Robin · Carrion Crow +56

MagpiePica pica2025
WoodpigeonColumba palumbus2025
Pied WagtailMotacilla alba2025
RobinErithacus rubecula2025
Carrion CrowCorvus corone2025
Herring GullLarus argentatus2025
PeregrineFalco peregrinus2025
GadwallMareca strepera
JackdawColoeus monedula2025
Canada GooseBranta canadensis2025
StarlingSturnus vulgaris2025
Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus2025
Great TitParus major2025
MallardAnas platyrhynchos2025
RavenCorvus corax2025
ChaffinchFringilla coelebs2025
Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus2025
Rock DoveColumba livia2025
MoorhenGallinula chloropus2025
CootFulica atra2025
GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis2025
KestrelFalco tinnunculus2025
Great Crested GrebePodiceps cristatus2025
CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo2025
Tufted DuckAythya fuligula2025
Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus2025
GoldeneyeBucephala clangula2025
Meadow PipitAnthus pratensis2025
TealAnas crecca2025
Egyptian GooseAlopochen aegyptiaca2025
Song ThrushTurdus philomelos2025
ChiffchaffPhylloscopus collybita2025
Long-tailed TitAegithalos caudatus2025
Grey HeronArdea cinerea2025
Little GrebeTachybaptus ruficollis2025
Grey WagtailMotacilla cinerea2025
Mute SwanCygnus olor2025
Great Northern DiverGavia immer2025
BlackbirdTurdus merula2025
GreenfinchChloris chloris2025
SmewMergellus albellus
Collared DoveStreptopelia decaocto2025
StonechatSaxicola rubicola2025
RedwingTurdus iliacus2025
ScaupAythya marila2025
Little EgretEgretta garzetta2025
Green WoodpeckerPicus viridis2025
GoosanderMergus merganser2025
House SparrowPasser domesticus2025
Swan GooseAnser cygnoides2025
PheasantPhasianus colchicus2025
Greylag GooseAnser anser2025
Common ScoterMelanitta nigra2025
JayGarrulus glandarius2025
Great Black-backed GullLarus marinus2025
LapwingVanellus vanellus2025
LinnetLinaria cannabina2025
Common GullLarus canus2025
WrenTroglodytes troglodytes2025
ShelduckTadorna tadorna2025
Red-breasted MerganserMergus serrator2025

🦎

Reptiles1 species

spring

2026

Slow-worm

Slow-wormAnguis fragilis

Species observations from the last 10 years via NBN Atlas

Wildlife to spot

23,795 records · National Biodiversity Network

🐦

Birds61 species

winter

2026

Magpie · Woodpigeon · Pied Wagtail · Robin · Carrion Crow +56

MagpiePica pica2025
WoodpigeonColumba palumbus2025
Pied WagtailMotacilla alba2025
RobinErithacus rubecula2025
Carrion CrowCorvus corone2025
Herring GullLarus argentatus2025
PeregrineFalco peregrinus2025
GadwallMareca strepera
JackdawColoeus monedula2025
Canada GooseBranta canadensis2025
StarlingSturnus vulgaris2025
Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus2025
Great TitParus major2025
MallardAnas platyrhynchos2025
RavenCorvus corax2025
ChaffinchFringilla coelebs2025
Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus2025
Rock DoveColumba livia2025
MoorhenGallinula chloropus2025
CootFulica atra2025
GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis2025
KestrelFalco tinnunculus2025
Great Crested GrebePodiceps cristatus2025
CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo2025
Tufted DuckAythya fuligula2025
Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus2025
GoldeneyeBucephala clangula2025
Meadow PipitAnthus pratensis2025
TealAnas crecca2025
Egyptian GooseAlopochen aegyptiaca2025
Song ThrushTurdus philomelos2025
ChiffchaffPhylloscopus collybita2025
Long-tailed TitAegithalos caudatus2025
Grey HeronArdea cinerea2025
Little GrebeTachybaptus ruficollis2025
Grey WagtailMotacilla cinerea2025
Mute SwanCygnus olor2025
Great Northern DiverGavia immer2025
BlackbirdTurdus merula2025
GreenfinchChloris chloris2025
SmewMergellus albellus
Collared DoveStreptopelia decaocto2025
StonechatSaxicola rubicola2025
RedwingTurdus iliacus2025
ScaupAythya marila2025
Little EgretEgretta garzetta2025
Green WoodpeckerPicus viridis2025
GoosanderMergus merganser2025
House SparrowPasser domesticus2025
Swan GooseAnser cygnoides2025
PheasantPhasianus colchicus2025
Greylag GooseAnser anser2025
Common ScoterMelanitta nigra2025
JayGarrulus glandarius2025
Great Black-backed GullLarus marinus2025
LapwingVanellus vanellus2025
LinnetLinaria cannabina2025
Common GullLarus canus2025
WrenTroglodytes troglodytes2025
ShelduckTadorna tadorna2025
Red-breasted MerganserMergus serrator2025

🦎

Reptiles1 species

spring

2026

Slow-worm

Slow-wormAnguis fragilis

Species observations from the last 10 years via NBN Atlas

Wildlife to spot

Photos

📷 N Chadwick · Geograph · CC BY-SA 2.0

Embankment of William Girling Reservoir

1 / 15

Events & activities nearby

Switch provider to compare local events, tours and bookable activities.

Bookable tours

Weather for this location

Next 14 days

Loading local forecast…

Nearby places

Useful places within 5 km

🌱Lloyd ParkUrban park4.1 km→🌱Ridgeway ParkUrban park1.2 km→🌱Jubilee ParkUrban park2.4 km→🌱Clendish MarshUrban park3.8 km→🌱Aveling FieldsUrban park3.9 km→🌱Pymmes ParkUrban park3.3 km→

Own or manage this place?

Claim this listing to keep details accurate, add photos, and highlight what makes it special — free.

Claim this page

Visitor access unverified.We don't yet have confirmed information about walking routes or public access at this reservoir. If you've visited, please help us improve this page.

How was your visit?

How useful was the information on this page?

id: 23a4b269-b49b-436e-8a74-70fd27699813