ホトンの湖・トップ3

Bridge over the reservoir - stunning views.

The Trent Valley Way is a 108 mile (174 km) long distance path following the course of the river. This section follows one of the banks through the Attenborough Nature Reserve alongside East Lake.

Cossington Meadow, overseen by the Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust, was once a gravel quarry during the 1980s and 90s. As part of the Leicestershire Round development, the pits were filled with inert waste, some areas were covered with soil and seeded with grass, and deep holes were intentionally left to create lakes. Interpretation boards across the site provide information about the diverse plant and animal life that has established itself in the reserve.

Swithland Reservoir, opened in 1896 for Leicester, had a 500 million-gallon capacity but became insufficient. In the early 20th century, a pipeline from Derwent reservoirs in Derbyshire was required. As you pass Buddon Wood, quarried in the early Iron Age for millstones, take a moment to enjoy the scenery, woodland, and water birds. You might also catch sight of steam trains on the viaduct from this spot.

Swithland Reservoir is a reservoir in the English county of Leicestershire. It is north-east of the village of Swithland from which it takes its name, north-west of Rothley and approximately 133 metres (145 yd) south-west of Mountsorrel Quarry. It is part of the 187.1-hectare (462-acre) Buddon Wood and Swithland Reservoir Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI).

Ruddington Fields is the Great Central (Heritage) Railway terminus in Rushcliffe Country Park, right alongside the lake.

A great view over the water and at the passing vintage railway.

Swithland reservoir, built around 1896, is about a mile long by half a mile wide. The Great Central Railway divides the reservoir into two. There is no access to the reservoir margins, but both sections can be viewed from the roads at the North and South ends.