Wyver Lane

One of the Trust's most important wetland reserves, home to otter and great for bird watching.

Location

Wyver Lane

Belper

Derbyshire

DE56 2EF

OS Map Reference

SK 3446 4920

Know before you go

Size

8 hectares

Entry fee

Parking information

Parking for two vehicles in the layby on Wyver Lane

Grazing animals

Yes

Access

There is no access onto the reserve but you can watch the wildlife from the lane or from the Trust's hide. The hide and lane are accessible to wheelchairs. It may be possible to access the new viewing mound with assistance.

Dogs

On a lead

Facilities

Bird hides

When to visit

Opening times

Open at all times

Best time to visit

Winter for overwinter visitors

About the reserve

Lying next to the River Derwent, Wyver Lane is one of the Trust's most important wetland reserves. It is within the Derwent Valley World Heritage Site and is a lovely place to visit, with the surrounding hills making a great setting for a walk.

The reserve has many resident bird species, including Canada geese, tufted duck and little grebe. Throughout the year, many more species visit, from waders such as curlew and common sandpiper passing through in spring, to birds which breed here such as lapwing.

Large numbers of gulls visit the reserve during winter - they are mainly black headed gulls, but you may also see common, herring, lesser and greater black backed gulls. They are joined by wildfowl escaping the icy north.

In really cold conditions, numbers of duck species such as wigeon can reach more than 100. The reserve is one of the few remaining areas of wet grassland in the mid-Derwent Valley and is the only site with large enough areas of undisturbed grassland for wigeon to overwinter.