Willington Wetlands Circular

This four and a half mile circular walk takes in some of the special places for wildlife around the Willington area.

The legacy of sand and gravel extraction has created some important areas for wildlife, one of which is Wellington Wetlands Nature Reserve, now home to the first beavers back in Derbyshire for 800 years. The nature reserve, and the land owned be Cemex on the west side of Egginton Brook, were worked until recently but are now havens for wildlife in the Trent Valley, particularly wetland birds.

Willington Wetlands has the largest block of reedbed in lowland Derbyshire with bitterns visiting each winter. The unimproved wet grasslands are grazed by native breed cattle and are home to many species of wader including lapwing, snipe, redshank and curlew.

The large open water pools support large flocks of wigeon, teal, pochard, and shoveller and many fish that attract cormorant, heron and egrets.

Part of the walk is along the towpath of the Trent and Mersey Canal. Engineered by James Brindley, it was the country’s first long-distance canal and runs for 94 miles. Built to link the ports of Hull and Liverpool, this inland route starts at the River Mersey and ends at the River Trent at Shardlow. The village of Willington has a thriving marina where colourful canal boats moor up and many places to eat and drink.