RIDGEGATE and TRENTABANK RESERVOIRS

Directions

From Macclesfield go through Langley Village to pass Bottom's Reservoir on the left. Bear right at the Leathers Smithy public house. Ridgegate Reservoir is now on the right hand side of the road (grid reference SJ957 714 on sheet 118 of the OS Landranger Map). A lay-by will be found at the far end.

Trentabank Reservoir (grid reference SJ963 712) is a further half of a mile along the road, just beyond the Visitor Centre. A small lay-by lies at the edge of the reservoir and a large car-park, with toilets, can be found at the Visitor Centre, where leaflets describing various walks are available.

To view a location map click here.

Description Of Site

Both reservoirs can be viewed from the road. Wheelchair access to a viewing area may be gained at Trentabank. Woodland birds can be seen by following the footpath (signposted Shutlingsloe) through the conifer plantation opposite Trentabank. The area around the reservoir is a nature reserve managed jointly by North West Water and the Cheshire Conservation Trust.

The Best Time Of Year

The speciality of this area is the Heronry in the larch plantation. This is active from March until June and up to twenty-four nests have been counted.

Birds which may be seen at any time of the year include the following: great crested grebe, Canada goose, mallard, teal, tufted duck, kestrel, pheasant, moorhen, coot, black-headed gull, woodpigeon, pied wagtail, wren, goldcrest, robin, blackbird, songthrush, treecreeper, linnet, chaffinch, greenfinch, goldfinch, and blue, great and coal tits.

Other all-year birds are the little grebe, mute swan, wigeon, shoveller, pochard, and goosander - but these are to be seen less regularly.

In the spring the following birds will join the regulars: Common sandpiper, swift and swallow, tree pipit, willow warbler and chiffchaff.