The Cotswold Water Park is an area of 42 square miles and 180 lakes, with many different leisure providers, and a variety of places to stay. This stunning wetlands landscape hosts tens of thousands of breeding and watering birds and is an ideal destination for watching wildlife all year round.
Cotswold Lakes Trust is a charity dedicated to the conservation and enhancement of the Cotswold Water Park for the benefit of wildlife and people..
Cotswold Water Park Videos…
News headlines…
Great Crested Grebes
Spring is with us and love is in the air for the local wildlife. When it comes to the most...
The decline of House Sparrows
There can’t be too many people reading this who aren’t aware of House Sparrows, as their...
Waxwings
Keep your eyes open this winter for a particularly attractive visitor, which is likely to turn up...
Cotswold Water Park Wintering Birds
During autumn, as the colder weather looms, thousands of birds perform a ‘changing of the guard’...
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Cotswold Lakes Trust Membership
Join the Cotswold Lakes Trust and get a range of benefits, whilst helping us make the Cotswold Water Park a better place for wildlife and people.
With 12 months membership from just £24, you get:
- Free parking for 12 months at all Cotswold Lakes Trust run car parks: Neigh Bridge Country Park, Clayhill, Bridge, Lakeside, Waterhay and Riverside Park in Lechlade.
(Single membership – one vehicle / Joint & Family membership – two vehicles) - A range of Cotswold Lakes Trust guides
- 15% discount off all purchases from the Gateway Cafe
- 10% discount off food and drinks at The Old Boathouse
- 10% discount off food at Lakeside Brasserie
- 10% discount off all drinks at the Cotswold Lakes Brew Co. Taproom
- 10% discount off watersports at Lakeside Ski & Wake
- 10% discount at Regatta clothing in Cirencester
- Members’ newsletter
- Voting rights at AGM
- Family membership also includes a copy of the Family Activities Booklet and 25% off the admission charge to Cotswold Country Park & Beach (excluding peak season- 8th July until 12th September).
Please note that Cotswold Lakes Trust membership does not include free entrance to Cotswold Country Park & Beach.
The buttons below will open a new browser window on the Cotswold Lakes Trust website.
Events
Event highlights – for a full listing of forthcoming events please see the Events Page
RYA Adult Introduction to Sailing Courses at Bowmoor Sailing Club
RYA Adult Introduction to Sailing Courses at Bowmoor Sailing Club
RYA Adult Introduction to Sailing Courses at Bowmoor Sailing Club
Seasonal News
The Cotswold Water Park Visitor Centre is located next to the Old Boat House on Spine Road East. The Centre is open at weekends and every day during school holidays from February to November.
Leisure maps and guides are also available all year from the Ashton Keynes Community Shop or can be ordered online.
CWP Nature Reserve Guide
Take a look at the Nature Reserve Guide and explore the wildlife sites within the Cotswold Water Park.
Printed copies can be ordered online.
Car Parking
All of the Cotswold Lakes Trust’s car parks are open 7 days a week. We ask that visitors utilise the ‘Covid-free’ RingGo card payment option at all our sites, to avoid the need to touch parking machines – we recommend downloading the RingGo app in advance of your visit. Cotswold Lakes Trust members park for free, so if you are a regular visitor then we would encourage you to join us here:
Cotswold Lakes Trust Membership
Reporting Incidents
Please see REPORT which provides links of where to report incidents which happen in the Cotswold Water Park.
Lake Swimming
Please only swim in lakes which are specifically operated for water activities. Lakes may look inviting but can be dangerous. Swimming is not permitted at Neigh Bridge.
We would also like to remind all visitors that maintenance of sites is extremely challenging at busy times, so please help us by keeping dogs on a lead, and taking your litter and dog waste home with you.
Cotswold Water Park Blog
Great Crested Grebes
Spring is with us and love is in the air for the local wildlife. When it comes to the most impressive attempts at wooing, Great Crested Grebes are up near the top of the list. These are easily the commonest of the British grebe species and also the largest. They are...
The decline of House Sparrows
There can’t be too many people reading this who aren’t aware of House Sparrows, as their preference for ‘human sites’ brings them into most of our gardens. But were you aware that numbers have declined so dramatically that they are on the Red List of birds which are...
Waxwings
Keep your eyes open this winter for a particularly attractive visitor, which is likely to turn up on berry bushes around Cotswold Water Park villages: Waxwings. These gorgeous, crested, Starling sized birds breed in Scandinavia, and beyond, but head south and west as...