Walk off the Christmas pud

If the Christmas fare is weighing heavily, but you don’t want to travel far try a walk in Lincoln’s Boultham Mere.

The Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust nature reserve lies may lie within the city boundaries, but it is a comparatively quiet and secluded sanctuary. 

It was excavated as a source of ballast for the construction of the railway. It has since matured into a most attractive lake with beds of reed and sedge, and emergent vegetation. There are mature trees and shrubs, mainly willow and sallow, flanking the railway. A hide overlooks the mere to the west of the reserve.

The reserve attracts many wintering wildfowl including teal, shoveler, goosander and goldeneye. There are also many breeding birds including up to 20 pairs of both reed and sedge warblers, two pairs of great crested grebes and three pairs of little grebes. Kingfisher and common tern also breed on the reserve.

The reserve and adjoining drain are rich in dragonflies and damselflies with 12 species regularly recorded. Many butterflies may be seen in summer including orange tip, ringlet, large skipper, meadow brown and wall brown. Flowering plants of interest include greater spearwort and water-violet.

The reserve is always open and December to January are the best time to visit.

Access off Tritton Road, Lincoln

LN6 0SB, OS Map Reference, SK 957 713