Grafham Water is a large man-made reservoir, created in the 1960s by constructing an earth and concrete dam. It supplies drinking water to Bedfordshire, Northamptonshire, and parts of Cambridgeshire by pumping water from the River Great Ouse  .
• Covering about 6.28 km² (1,550 acres), it’s the eighth-largest reservoir in England by volume and the third-largest by area  .
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Nature & Wildlife Highlights
• The western end of Grafham Water features a 114-hectare nature reserve, managed by the Wildlife Trust for Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire & Northamptonshire  .
• This reserve includes ancient woodlands, grasslands, wetlands (like reedbeds and willow areas), and supports rare amphibians such as the warty newt, along with wintering birds like great crested grebes, tufted ducks, coots, and moulting mute swans  .
• Birdwatching is a major draw—over 170 bird species have been recorded annually, including rarities like osprey, Slavonian grebe, and various terns. Serious sightings of inland seabirds (e.g. shearwaters, skuas), gull roosts, and raptors also occur   .
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Activities & Facilities
Leisure & Outdoor Fun
• Popular for walking, cycling, sailing, kayaking, and fly-fishing  .
• A well-marked 9-mile multi-use track skirts the reservoir—ideal for walking, cycling, or running—though some parts may be muddy during wetter weather .
Visitor Amenities
• Marlow Car Park (PE28 0BH): houses the visitor centre, café, playground, mini-golf, and Rumble live-action gaming .
• Mander Car Park (PE28 0BX): features the Harbour View Café Bar (with scenic balcony), Fishing Lodge, playground, Wildlife Trust office, and Grafham Water Sailing Club  .
• Facilities also include toilets, nature trails, picnic areas, bird hides, shops, and places to relax  .
• Accessibility: The site is wheelchair-friendly, with surfaced paths, disabled toilets, and even a wheely boat for disabled access .
Educational Activities
• The Grafham Water Centre offers outdoor education, water sports training (e.g., sailing, wingfoiling), team development courses, and residential stays for schools, clubs, and groups .
Fossil Hunting
• At low water levels, fossils such as ammonites, belemnites, shells, and even reptile remains can be found along the shoreline—though as it’s an SSSI, permission from the Wildlife Trust or Anglian Water is advised .
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Visiting Information
• Opening Times: Grafham Water Park is open daily except Christmas Day, from 9 am until dusk. Car park closing times vary seasonally (e.g., 5 pm in early Feb, 8 pm by summer)  .
• Parking Fees: First 15 minutes are free; then £2/hour up to 5 hours, or £12 for over 5 hours. An annual permit (£80) grants access to multiple Anglian Water parks .
1 Comment
We would highly recommend a visit