Otterhead Lakes

Otterhead Lakes
Otterhead Lakes
Location	Otterford, Somerset, England
Coordinates	50°55′08″N3°06′16″W / 50.91889°N 3.10444°W / 50.91889; -3.10444
Primary inflows	River Otter
Primary outflows	River Otter
Built	1850s

Otterhead Lakes are a pair of reservoirs in the Blackdown Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty south of Otterford in Somerset, England. They are fed by the River Otter and managed by the Otterhead Estate Trust Company Limited, working with the Somerset Wildlife Trust on behalf of Wessex Water. ^[1] They are a Local Nature Reserve. ^{[2] [3]}

The two lakes which remain are all that are left of a series of pools in the landscaped gardens of Otterhead House which was built in 1845 and demolished in 1952, ^[4] and its surrounding estate developed by William Beadon. ^[5] The lakes are the centrepiece of the one mile long ^[6] Otterhead Local Nature Reserve which includes dry woodland which has a ground flora including common bluebell, dogs mercury and twayblade. More moist areas are home to marsh pennywort and royal fern rhododendron and sycamore. There are dormice, badgers and bats in the woods ^[2] and bird species include kingfisher, dipper and wagtail. ^[7]

The lakes contain wild brown trout and are used for fly fishing. ^[8]

Otterhead Forest School is based at Otterhead Lakes

References

1. "Otterhead Lakes". Wessex Water. Archived from the original on 31 October 2010. Retrieved 19 November 2010.
2. "Otterhead Lakes". Local Nature Reserves. Natural England.
3. "Map of Otterhead Lakes". Local Nature Reserves. Natural England.
4. "Otterford and Otterhead Lakes". Neroche. Archived from the original on 27 July 2011. Retrieved 19 November 2010.
5. "Otterhead Lakes Local Nature Reserve The Heritage of a Victorian Estate" (PDF). Taunton Deane Council. Archived from the original (PDF) on 17 July 2011. Retrieved 19 November 2010.
6. "About Otterhead Estate & Lakes". Pictures of England. Retrieved 19 November 2010.
7. "Otterhead Lakes". Taunton Deane Council. Archived from the original on 17 July 2011. Retrieved 19 November 2010.
8. "Otterhead Lakes". Taunton fly fishing club. Archived from the original on 12 September 2009. Retrieved 19 November 2010.