Daneshill Lakes LNR is entirely owned by Nottinghamshire County Council, although only the area south of Daneshill Road is managed by the Council. The northern area is managed by Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust (www.wildlifetrust.org.uk)
The whole site was part of the Royal Ordnance Factory at Ranskill until the 1970s. Construction of the factory was authorised in 1940 and production started in 1942. The site was large and included an explosives factory, an acids plant and private sidings linked to what we now know as the East Coast Main Line. The factory was closed in 1945, but retained on a care and maintenance basis until 1975. After this the site was broken up and sold. All that remains is some of the signalling from the sidings adjacent to the railway line. The LNR only covers part of the Royal Ordnance Factory site, much of the remaining area being used for waste disposal.
The LNR itself is, of course, dominated by the lakes. These are the result of gravel extraction that occurred after the Royal Ordnance Factory was mothballed. Further extraction was undertaken by Nottinghamshire County Council during the 1980s. Now the extensive lakes are important for over-wintering wildfowl. Other habitats at the site include mixed scrub and birch woodland, which supports a wide range of bird species. There are also areas of acid grassland within the LNR that support several species of butterfly and wildflowers including a variety of orchids. These grasslands are currently being further developed for their conservation benefits. This and other conservation tasks are undertaken by volunteers. Contact us for more details about volunteering at Daneshill Lakes.
The site is widely used, with about 100,000 visitors per year. There is a network of surfaced paths allowing access to the site for everyone, including people with restricted mobility. As well as general access the site is used by a sailing club and a fishing club that leases the main lake. Day fishing is permitted on the car park lake, with tickets available from Ranskill Newsagent.
