Thrupp Lake
📍Abingdon
🌿 Nature Reserve
💷 Free
⏰ 1 - 3 hours
👣 Variable walk
☕ Café
April 2026 · Nature Adventures · Nature Reserve · Free
A slice of solitude, watching the gulls and listening to birdsong.
One of the most instagrammable walks we've done, especially since the sun was out, the sky was blue and the swans were so elegantly white.
We spotted plenty of swans, ducks and black-headed gulls and spent a wonderful hour strolling along the lakeside, gazing out at the water, waiting to see what nature would emerge if we were still enough.
The quietude was paused when Little Leopard got his picnic out and quickly started panicking as some bugs came to investigate. So he had a quick reminder (lets be honest, lecture) from me that bugs are awesome, and also that we can just get them to crawl onto a leaf and relocate them.
We used public transport and an easy walking route to extend the adventure, getting the train to Radley, and then walking down the sounding bridge path, past the restored mineral workings. We then walked around Thrupp Lake, and through Barton Fields to Abingdon where we caught the bus. You can see the route we took on this map from the Radley Lakes Trust.
The walk took us 3 hours, but we did go at a glacial pace. It was Little Leopard's first time using the DSLR, which meant constantlu stopping to photograph everything. The walk was rich in inspiration, we would have taken longer had we not had another nature adventure planned that afternoon.
As well as looking out for footprints, poo, and nibbled branches, we kept stopping to listen to bird calls, the Merlin app said that we heard 30, including a Sandpiper, Reed Bunting, and a Skylark. Now that we've been using the app a while, it's made me more aware of listening to bird calls, and clocking when we're hearing one that we don't usually and trying a little harder to spot those ones.
Little Leopard was happy spotting a pheasant, while I was pleased with the Buzzard, whitethroat, and many, many chiffchaffs. Which sound to me like they're asking us to tiptoe. Happy to oblige.
If you're shorter on time, then you can park on site at Thrupp Lake and stroll around the 1 mile circumference, trying to spot herons, kingfishers, and otters. We didn't spot any of those this time, but I'm guessing it has to be a bit more quiet, and the sound of bikers tearing up the paths nearby ruined the tranquility somewhat.
It's a shame considering all the work that organisations like the Earth Trust, and Radley Lakes Trust and their volunteers put into making sure people have lovely peaceful places to visit, and that wildlife has a chance to flourish here again after the area was reclaimed from its industrial past.
There were lots of enticing footpaths that we ran out of time to explore, next time I'd love to venture down them, especially that part of the Thames path, and St David's Meadow (to see some orchids and helleborines)
Nature Notes
Deer Poo
Muntjac deer (I think)
The smallest type of deer to live in the UK, they're about the size of a labrador.
They make a barking sound to mark their territory.
They feed on shoots, herbs, brambles, trees, grass.
Black-Headed Gull
They are often found in farmland, wetland and coastland habitats.
The oldest recorded bird was 32 years (most live 11 - 13 years).
In the winter, their heads turn white.
They are sociable, noisy birds, often head squabbling with each other.
A tranquil walk through varied wildlife-rich habitats.
Address: Radley Lakes, Abingdon, OX14 3NG
Parking: Free parking
Opening Hours: Always open
Entry Fee: Free
Website: earthtrust.org.uk/visit/thrupp-lake
