NATURE
What wildlife
to see in Summer
Heritage
Learning from the past,
building for the future
Adventure
Where the adventure
lasts all day
CHARITY NO. 1050157
Visitor information :
Hours
Find Us
Parking
Accessibility
Contact
Visitor Opening times
Please see the table below for the current opening times.
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Date |
Site opening Times |
Visitor Centre Opening Times |
| January – March | 7am – 5pm | 10am – 4pm |
| April to September | 7am – 7pm | 10am – 5pm |
| October-December | 7am – 5pm | 10am – 4pm |
How to find us
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Stanwick Lakes is situated off the Stanwick roundabout on the A45 in East Northamptonshire between Wellingborough (eight miles away) and Thrapston (seven miles away).
The postcode for Sat Nav directions is NN9 6GY.
Parking and prices
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Thank you for paying to park!
Did you know that Stanwick Lakes is run by Rockingham Forest Trust, a local environmental charity?
Every time you pay the car park charges at Stanwick Lakes you are supporting the conservation and maintenance work that takes place on the site. This includes managing the nature reserve for wildlife, looking after the play equipment and maintaining miles of paths for walking and cycling.
Car Parking Charges 2023
Charging period |
Charges per car |
| 28th-31st March | Up to 2 hours £3.00 Up to 4 hours £4.50 |
| 1st April – 30th September | Variable charge: Up to 2 hours £3.30 Up to 4 hours £4.80 All day £6.30 |
| 1st Oct 31st December | Variable charge: Up to 2 hours £3.00 All day £4.50 |
| Membership | £42 per household per year |
Closed Christmas Day
Accessibility
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The majority of the site’s facilities are wheelchair accessible, including the visitor centre, toilets, feeding station and water’s edge bird hides, the network of footpaths and cycle paths, and areas within the central adventure playground. A lift is situated in the café area to allow disabled visitors to access the mezzanine area where the archaeological finds are kept, including the section of Roman floor mosaic.
Contact Us
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01933 625 522
info@rftrust.org.uk
Follow us on social media:
Stanwick Lakes is managed as a social enterprise by the environmental charity,
Rockingham Forest Trust. All Income from our visitors directly supports the cost of running the site, including conservation work and educational events.
Upcoming Events
Mixed Media Painting Workshop
Monthly Watercolours Classes
Monthly Acrylic Painting classes
Monthly Pottery Classes
Workshops AncientCraft – Flint Knapping – October 2025
Talk&Walk: Seed Gathering Walk
Pumpkin Floristry Workshop
The visitor centre, with café, shop and function space, hosts many events, family celebrations, business meetings and craft workshops throughout the year.
THINGS TO DO…
NATURE
Visit a birdhide
One of the best ways to take in all that a wetlands site has to offer is to stop off at several hides dotted around the reserve, and see what you can spot…
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HERITAGE
Go back in time!
Notice the stone marker posts, each carved with an historical era? These form part of our Heritage Trail and each of the six stones marks the site of an important historic settlement…
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ADVENTURE
Imaginative play
Get active and explore our adventure playground, assault course, adventure trail, dotted around the reserve, including water play and a zip line!
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acres of open space
miles of scenic paths
days of the year
LATEST NEWS
Wildlife Volunteer Team Round Up 2022
In the spring of 2022, we set up a new volunteer group– the Stanwick Lakes Wildlife Volunteer Team (WVT). The team meet up on the last Friday morning of the month to undertake tasks that help us to conserve the nature reserve at Stanwick Lakes, including monitoring...
Creating a Moment in History – Stanwick Lakes Heritage
Over the past 12 years, Stanwick Lakes have been fortunate enough to receive Heritage Lottery funding for a number of projects exploring the heritage and history of the site and surrounding valley. Carrying on from the successes of these legacy heritage projects, our new ambitious 3 year venture, funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund, will delve into the Bronze Age and the Iron Age, exploring their monuments and settlements with one aim – to bring the past to life.
Small but Mighty Water Voles Reintroduced to Stanwick Lakes.
Reintroducing Water Voles to Northamptonshire – The Stanwick Lakes Project This spring, the team at Stanwick Lakes were extremely excited to be releasing water voles back into our rivers. These small but mighty creatures, commonly called water rats, are small brown...
Nature Apps
Whether you’re looking for some pocket sized ID or your searching for classroom-friendly tools, there’s an app for everyone. Here’s our roundup of some of the best nature apps. Seek Free on i0s and Android Use Seek’s camera to identify plants and common animals,...
Volunteers Lead Award Success
Our Volunteers Just Won a County-Wide Award - And They Deserve Every Bit of It We’re absolutely delighted to share that Nene Valley 5000 - the official name of our three-year heritage programme – and shaped by volunteers at Stanwick Lakes, has been awarded Best...
Proud to be part of THE HERDS
Stanwick Lakes is proud to be part of THE HERDS, a groundbreaking public art and climate initiative. Since April, life-size puppet animals have been sweeping through city centres on a 20,000km journey from the Congo Basin to the Arctic Circle, fleeing climate...
World Environment Day
Turning the Tide on Plastic Pollution at Stanwick Lakes and Beyond On Thursday the 5th of June 2025 it is World Environment Day and this year the organisation is shining the spotlight on plastic pollution. Research estimates that households across the UK throw away a...
Family Fun – example itnerary
There’s something for everyone at Stanwick Lakes Fundraising Family Fun Day on Sunday 20th July – from live music and Viking reenactments to crafts, axe throwing and lakeside shopping. Entry is free, and your visit supports our fundraising for accessible play spaces for children of all abilities.
Award-Winning Family Day Out
Stanwick Lakes Wins Best Family Experience in 2025 Muddy Stilettos Awards We’re proud to share that Stanwick Lakes has been named the 2025 Muddy Stilettos regional winner for Best Family Experience in Northamptonshire, Leicestershire and Rutland. This award means a...
Prehistoric Tales – Stone Age to Iron Age Book List
Are you learning about the changes in Britain from the Stone Age to the Iron Age? Great! We’ve gathered together a brilliant book list just for you. So grab your (imaginary) spear, throw on your (fictional) deerskin cloak, and get ready to transport your class back...
Our Bronze Age and Iron Age Journey: 2022 – 2025
Over the past three years our heritage team, dedicated volunteers and valued partners, has worked to bring the Bronze Age and Iron Age history of Stanwick Lakes to life through a series of creative, hands-on projects. Nestled in the heart of the Nene Valley, Stanwick...
Stanwick Lakes by Bike: Cycle Hire & Cycling Trails
Explore the beauty of Stanwick Lakes by bike with the convenient cycle hire service provided by AJ Cycles. Available from 1st March to 30th November (weather permitting), you can enjoy family-friendly trails, spot local wildlife, and experience the park in a whole new way. Book your bike hire directly with AJ Cycles and set off on your adventure today!
A unique setting, convenient location, and with ample facilities, you can make your event one to remember at Stanwick Lakes. Our flexible indoor and outdoor spaces and our experienced team, and specialist knowledge can help with you shape your event into something unique.
Every Visit Counts
The visitor centre, with café, shop and function spaces is ran as a social enterprise, which very much supports the charity, with all income. The setting for many events, family celebrations, business meetings and craft workshops throughout the year, we can cater for any event.
So there’s always enough going on to work up an appetite!