Otterhead Lakes LNR
Grid
Ref: ST 224 141.
Postcode:
TA3 7EF
Location:
Approximately seven miles south of Taunton, immediately south of Otterford.
The Reserve's car park is accessed by a small lane just on the western side
of the B3170.
Status: Local Wildlife Site.
Date
of LNR Designation: 5th March 2008
Size
of Reserve: 15.97 hectares.
Ownership:
Wessex Water.
Community
Group: Otterhead Estate Trust Co Ltd
Email: otterheadestate@aol.com
Website: The Local Channel (external link)
 Description
The reserve is located in a north-south valley that runs down the dip slope of the Blackdown Hills. It is set around the two remaining lakes of the former landscaped gardens of Otterhead House (demolished in 1952). The lakes are fed by the River Otter which rises less than two miles to the north. The remains of Otterhead House and associated buildings and gardens can be found throughout the reserve. A range of semi-natural habitats now make up the site including alder/willow carr, dry deciduous woodland, unimproved neutral grassland, freshwater streams and ditches.
Much of the dry woodland has a rich ground flora with bluebell, dogs mercury and twayblade. In the damper woodland and area of mire, marsh pennywort and royal fern have been recorded. Large areas of the woodland are also dominated by rhododendron and sycamore.
Signs of badger activity can be seen throughout the reserve and dormice and a number of bat species occur in the woodland. The lakes support a range of bird species including kingfisher, dipper and grey wagtail. Willow tits nest in the carr woodland. Adders, grass snake, palmate newt and seven species of notable hoverfly have been recorded.
The reserve lies within the Blackdown Hills AONB and the Scarp and River Headwaters Prime Biodiversity Area within the Blackdown Hills Natural Area. The reserve, excluding the lakes, is currently leased from the owners Wessex Water by the 'Otterhead Estate Trust Co Ltd' who manage the site.
Please keep to the waymarked paths.
Downloadable Documents
 Otterhead lakes nature trail Information sheet (1 MB)
Otterhead lakes heritage trail information sheet (1 MB)
 The documents on this website can be downloaded and are published using Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF). To view or print these documents, Adobe's Acrobat PDF reader is required which can be downloaded from Adobe Systems' website (external link).
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