Doxey Marshes

A wetland oasis near the centre of Stafford and one of the country's best bird watching sites

Location

Doxey Marshes
Stafford
Staffordshire
ST16 1PU (nearest)
*Just off the A5013, Eccleshall Road off Junction 14 on the M6
**You can park in the car park at the end of Wootton Drive. (Creswell Farm Drive leads on to Wootton Drive)
Stafford
ST16 1PU (nearest)

View on What3Words

A static map of Doxey Marshes

Know before you go

Size
121 hectares
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Entry fee

No
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Parking information

Parking options: You can park in the car park at the end of Wootton Drive. Please be aware that access is restricted due to height barrier, and this car park is not owned or managed by SWT. Please contact Stafford Borough Council for more details.

Grazing animals

Yes

Walking trails

Flat paths cover most of the reserve, although access is occasionally reduced during periods of flooding.

Please observe on-site instructions for the on-lead/off-lead dog zones across the reserve.

Access

Flat paths cover most of the reserve, although access is occasionally reduced during periods of flooding. Please note that paths are a combination of crushed compacted hardcore which are accessible to trampers and mobility scooters but not wheelchairs.

Access onto site is viaĀ RADAR Kissing gatesĀ (for disabled access) and the site has accessible tracksĀ 

Please contact us for specific disabled access information, we're happy to hear from you.

Dogs

On a lead
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Facilities

Bird hides
Disabled parking
Accessible trails

When to visit

Opening times

Open at all times

Best time to visit

March to May, September to December

About the reserve

Visitors to Doxey Marshes can get closer to wildlife;

Bird Hide

The reserve has two bird hides and a series of pond dipping platforms.Ā 

Here are a few species to look out for from the bird hideĀ - so grab your binoculars and get spotting!

  • The rectangular hide overlooking TillingtonĀ Flash:Ā  Oystercatcher (spring); hobby (summer); shelduckĀ (summer); goosanderĀ (autumn and winter); black tailedĀ godwitĀ (spring and autumn); great crested grebe (all year);Ā little egret (all year).Ā 

Wax rubbing trail

Follow the circular trail around the centre of the reserve to find the numbered posts with rubbing plaques of some of the wildlife that lives here. Don't forget your crayons! Download your rubbing sheet at the bottom of this web page.

Take an early morning walk in spring to discover the magic of a wetland dawn chorus:

  • Look and listen for Lapwing performing their tumbling display flight over the pasture in Spring, whilst calling out 'pee-wit'
  • Keep an eye out for migrating birds as the reserve is well known for attracting lots of passage species and even the odd rarity!
  • Visit in the winter months to see large flocks of waterfowl including wigeon and teal - birds galore!
HighlightsĀ 
  • Doxey Marshes is a fantastic place to discover birds with over 200 species recorded and over 80 breeding species. Ā 
  • The reserve is designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest for its nationally important populations of lapwing, snipe and redshank. The reserve also attracts many rare birds every year, including the first ever cattle egret and river warbler to be recorded in the Midlands region! Ā 
Not Just Birds!

Although well known as a great bird watching location, Doxey Marshes is also home to regionally significant populations of otter, harvest mouse and water shrew. Ā The reserve is also home to a vast array of wetland plants, including the biggest area of Reed-sweet Grass in the Midlands. Ā In Spring the pastures are carpeted with flowers such as ladyā€™s smock, buttercup and ragged robin. Ā 

Water, water everywhere

The reserve forms part of the River Sow floodplain so is naturally a wet area and will occasionally flood. Ā Most of the large pools on the reserve, known locally as flashes, have formed as a result of subsidence from brine extraction in the 1950s. Ā These flashes are a great place to find many species of water bird including Tufted Duck, Goosander and Great Crested Grebe. Ā 

Mud, Mud Glorious Mud

Across the reserve are numerous muddy depressions known as scrapes. Ā These were created to encourage wetland birds such as Lapwing and Redshank to breed, as well as providing feeding points for migrating birds

Contact us

Staffordshire Wildlife Trust
Contact number: 01889 880100

Environmental designation

Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI)

All footage by Martin Varley

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Rubbing Sheet - pg 1

Rubbing sheet - pg 2