Ogston Reservoir
 View of the site from high ground to the west |
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Map Reference: SK3760. Click here for OS map OS Maps: Landranger Sheet 119, Explorer Sheet 269 Habitat Reservoir, woodland with willow carr Directions From the south and west: via the small lanes off the A615 between Matlock and Alfreton, or from the A61 south of Clay Cross, follow the B6036 then the B6014 west. Leave the A61 at Stretton (between Clay Cross & Alfreton), taking the B6014 (signposted Tansley). Cross the railway and fork left part way up the hill, continuing along the B6014 towards Tansley. The Reservoir is on the left after the hill/narrow bends. From Matlock take the A615 towards Alfreton then left on to the B6014 just after Tansley. Bus Details Hulleys 63 (not Suns) Chesterfield - Clay Cross via Ashover serves the north end of the Resr. Hulleys 64 (not Suns) Clay Cross - Matlock via Ashover serves the north end of the Resr. TM Travel 150 (not Suns) Alfreton - Matlock serves Brackenfield Green (5 mins walk from Brackenfield Church). Facilities There are 3 car parks, North (SK375610), West Bank (SK374605) & South (SK372594). There are toilets at the North & West Bank car parks but these are currently CLOSED for an unspecified period. Parking is free. The best viewing areas are from the main car park and from the road along the western edge south of the car park. Please take care on this narrow lane and it recommended that you use the car parks at either end and then use the footpath for access. Another good vantage point is the small causeway at Milltown Inlet in the north-west corner. Access 24 hours all year. The site now has full disabled access to the public hide and the member's hide on the west bank thanks to a lottery grant. Be warned: this site can be very cold in winter! What to see This site attracts a huge number of roosting gulls and Glaucous and Iceland gulls are both winter regulars. Ogston has more inland records of Bonaparte's Gull than any other inland site in the UK. You also stand a good chance of testing your identification skills on the Herring/LightBlue-legged/Caspian gull complex. Wildfowl congregate in some numbers and Goosander is possible in Winter. Another good spot for migrant Ospreys. Rarer waders, terns and grebes are also a possibility. Spring wader passage is poor, but the site usually does well in autumn. Warblers around Ogston in spring/summer are pretty good especially species like Lesser Whitethroat. Lesser Spotted Woodpecker is available to those who are patient. DOS Verdict Although a favourite with the winter gull specialists (Iceland, Glaucous, Yellow-legged and Caspian are frequent winter visitors), the site has a very large species list - more species are regularly recorded by the dedicated band of observers than any other Derbyshire site, even beating the legendary Carr Vale in 2000. (Thanks also to Brian Cuttell for some of the above) |