Over the past two weekends we've visited the Idle Valley Wildlife Reserve in Retford. The reserve is looked after by the Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust and a small army of volunteers who maintain the various habitats on the site. The main area is a large lake that is a haven for waterfowl and is an important stopping point for wintering birds (although we never really saw anything more exotic than seagulls and swans on our visits).
There are several different walks of various lengths around the reserve. We opted for the one of the shorter walks around the main lake that took us alongside Idle river. It's not a big river by any stretch of the imagination but when it bursts its banks it can cause flooding for the locals.
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| "White water" on the Idle |
While walking around the lake we spotted a hovering Kestrel and were able to get close enough to get some photographs of it.
North Notts College also have a facility at the reserve which they share with the wildlife trust and a small cafe. There are regular events at Idle Valley throughout the year ranging from stargazing evenings to nature walks. It's worth checking out the website to see what's on.
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