Last reviewed: 30 june 2011 18:33m
London
- Body copy factorial
- Gratuitous octopus niacin
- Olypian quarrels et gorilla
The Walthamstow reservoirs are located in the Lea Valley close to the centre of London.
About the site
There are ten individual reservoirs that make up Walthamstow Reservoir, some of them are Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) as they have rich bird habitat and terrestrial fauna. It is internationally recognised for the diverse range of birds that it attracts.
This nature haven in the heart of the capital also offers the budding angler fantastic opportunities to fish specimen carp Cyprinus carpio, Bream Abramis brama and Chub Leuciscus cephalus and Barbel Barbus in clear waters.
There are also two reservoirs exclusively for fly fishing with both Rainbow Oncorhynchus mykiss and Brown Salmo trutta trout present up to double figures to the lucky few.
What you can do here
Fly-fishing
The three fly-fishing waters are stocked throughout the season with a total of 11,000 top quality rainbow and brown trout.
The rainbow trout are stocked at a minimum weight of 2lb meaning catches upwards of 5lb are frequent.
The high quality reservoir water is home to various insect life, meaning stocked fish very quickly turn into firm-fleshed, hard-fighting 'wild fish', and can double their weight by the end of the season.
We offer bank-only fly-fishing with a choice of day and season tickets.
Working with the Walthamstow Fly Fishing Club we provide events, competitions, and beginners' courses.
Coarse fishing
With seven different coarse fishing waters to choose from there are many challenges for all angling abilities.
The waters are all different but hold good catches.
This 45lb Mirror Carp was recently caught at Walthamstow Reservoir The mixed fisheries have various good quality pike, bream, tench, and carp amongst others, whilst the specimen waters hold the big fish - including carp up to 40lb.
| Best fish | Carp | Pike | Bream | Tench | Perch | Barbel | Chub | Eels |
| Weight | 44lb | 35lb | 16lb | 9.5lb | 4lb | 12lb | 8lb | 4lb |
Of course there is also the famous Coppermill stream, providing even more variety, with excellent barbel, chub and perch.
All anglers fishing at Walthamstow must be in possession of a valid Environment Agency Rod Licence
Birdwatching
Birdwatching is available on all the reservoirs at Walthamstow. A wide range of breeding and migrant species, and wintering waterfowl can be seen.
A highlight of the site is one of the largest heronries in Britain. This has recently attracted the first breeding Little egrets in Greater London. There is also a large colony of cormorants.
The reservoirs are designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest and are internationally important for their wildfowl.
Day permits cost £1 and annual permits to all Thames Water birdwatching sites cost £10.
Help us stop the spread of killer shrimp species
On 3 September, a species of shrimp never before found in the UK was discovered. We need your help to prevent the spread of this invasive species by following some simple measures.
Site facilities
This site is open access.
| Members only | No | Toilets | Yes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Car park | Yes | Accessibility | Yes |
| Refreshments | No | Picnic | No |
How to get there
The Walthamstow reservoirs offer easy and safe access for all visitors, with disabled access on most of the reservoirs.
Car parking and toilets are available.
The entrance is just a seven-minute walk from the Victoria line at Tottenham Hale underground station.
Key
- Birdwatching
- Sailing
- Fishing
- Nature reserve
- Heritage
- Other activities
- recreation
Walthamstow Wetlands project
We're working in partnership with Waltham Forest Council to transform Walthamstow reservoirs into a distinctive urban nature reserve and wetland centre.
