Tiny lake that is a 'true hidden treasure' in Milton Keynes is revealed to the public

A little-known lake that is a true hidden treasure is being publicised by The Parks Trust.

Walton Lake is a stone's throw from Caldecotte Lake and was there before the Willen and Caldecote waters were created.

The two giant lakes meant it was no longer needed to absorb the floodwater so it was allowed to fill with reeds, creating a very different habitat for wildlife.

It is home to Reed Warblers, Reed Buntings, Sparrowhawks, Green Woodpeckers and breeding Kestrels – and even the odd otter.

The lake also has a colony of grass snakes and hums with insect species such as dragon and damselfly.

In 2002 The Parks Trust, with funding from Shanks First, built a boardwalk into the reedbed. This route through the reeds features a bird hide, offering fantastic opportunities to see the bird and water life close-up.

Surrounding the reedbed are ponds and open water, ancient hedgerows and hay meadow, plus the River Ouzel running nearby.

A spokesperson for The Parks Trust said: “Walton Lake is truly a hidden treasure to come across at this time of the year

"The park boasts a combination of habitats that makes it rich in wildlife, with many viewing points to admire. As the seasonal changes cause the surrounding reed beds to grow taller, the boardwalk becomes a delightful path to stroll through."

They added: “Mature reed beds need a lot of management to keep them in optimum condition. If they are neglected trees will start to invade, drying out the reedbeds until eventually the habitat is lost. To prevent this from happening the reedbed at Walton Lake is maintained by The Parks Trust's operations team, volunteers and contractors, regularly cutting back blocks of weed to create a diverse mosaic of open water, and blocks of reed of different heights.”

There is a free car park on site located off the Newport Road just south of H8 Standing Way.Access to the site is generally good and the boardwalks and bird hide were built to be accessible to wheelchairs. Some users may find the slope on the west side of the lake to be a bit steep.