Sarah Williams / Collyer's Brook

Collyer's Brook

A peaceful place to take time out and enjoy the natural world.

Location

Mill Street

Fontmell Magna

Dorset

SP7 0NU

OS Map Reference

ST8700316822

View on What3Words

masses.refills.cove

Know before you go

Size

1 hectare

Entry fee

N/A

Parking information

Small car park in picnic area.

Bicycle parking

Grazing animals

None

Walking trails

Along road only. Links to several public rights of way in surrounding countryside.

Before you go, please read our reserve safety and visitor information

Please click here for more information and guidance about dogs on Dorset Wildlife Trust nature reserves.

Access

Views over the western part of the reserve from the picnic site or walk up the road a short way to access the bench from which you can view the upper parts of the ponds. Please note - it is not advisable to venture onto or around the ponds.

Dogs

On a lead

See above for more information about dogs on nature reserves.

Facilities

Picnic area

When to visit

Opening times

Open at all times

Best time to visit

All year but particularly mid-summer

About the reserve

Once a fishing pond in the Middle Ages, this nature reserve now boasts otters, dragonflies and kingfishers and colourful vegetation.

The nature reserve is just off the A350, on the road to Shaftesbury. It is a large, former fish pond site on the course of Collyer's Brook with a fringe of wet woodland and colourful bankside vegetation. Fed from the chalk spring at Springhead, 200m to east of the reserve, Collyer's Brook runs into two large 'stew ponds' originally created for the breeding of rainbow and brown trout.

These now make a great place to spot a range of wetland birds and dragonflies; with common, soprano and Daubenton's bats visiting at night to feed over the water. Otters have also been known to take advantage of the easy fishing provided by the ponds.

Useful Information

Leave the A350 at Fontmell Magna opposite The Fontmell pub heading towards Ashmore. The reserve is approximately 400 metres along the road on the right. By foot, access from the public footpath leading from nearby Fontmell Down and Fontmell Magna.