For Your Visit
The Little Marlow Lakes Country Park contains a wealth of natural assets including woods, lakes, grassland, parkland, streams and riverside
The Park consists of 300ha of Green Belt land between Marlow and Bourne End. It contains a variety of terrains including lakes, riverside, woodland, wetland, grassland and scrubland. The landscape links the pastoral charm of the Thames floodplain meadows with the rolling beauty of the adjacent Chiltern Hills to create a highly attractive area of open countryside crossed by a network of footpaths.
The river walks are along some of the most attractive rural stretches of the River Thames. It contains footpaths and riverside meadows that are popular with both families and dogwalkers. Ramblers walking The Thames Path National Trail, The Shakespeare’s Way or the London Green Belt Way pass through The Park.
The Central Lakes Wetland Zone contains lakes, streams and woodlands that visitors can enjoy by wandering along the secluded footpaths that weave through the area.
At the heart of the Park is The Spade Oak Lake Nature Reserve which is a regionally important site for migrating and breeding wading birds. It offers visitors the opportunity to observe some of the two hundred species of birds that have been recorded here, including kingfishers, herons and terns as well as occasional rarities.
The lake is also home to otters, amphibians and many species of fish which makes it popular with anglers.
The conservation area of Little Marlow village lies within the Park. The village has picturesque twelfth century church and two charming pubs where visitors can take a break and have a bite to eat.
The woodland areas that surround the village provide an opportunity for children to explore the countryside in safety and offers them a chance to spot foxes, badgers, deer, stoats and bats. And there are more opportunities for birdwatchers as the woodland provides a habitat for many species including woodpeckers, owls, sparrowhawks and kestrels.
