Alton Water | Fishing, Camping & Cycling | Dallaswear

Alton Water

Alton Water, Holbrook Road, Stutton IP9 2RY

Situated South of Ipswich, in the beautiful county of Suffolk, Alton Water is the ideal place for a family day out. It is the biggest area of inland water in the whole county. Owned by Anglian Water and covering 400 acres it provides both drinking water for the area and an array of leisure activities. It’s a fascinating fact that some of the areas that Anglian Water provides water to have a rainfall lower than that of Jerusalem. Alton Water is one of seven water parks owned and managed by Anglian Water. Together the seven water parks cater for over 2 million visitors a year and provide the public with the facilities to enjoy a range of activities including wildlife spotting, walking, fishing, sailing and cycling.

The wonderful scenery at Alton Water makes a walk very enjoyable and it’s up to you to chose whether you want a gentle stroll or to embark on an 8-mile circuit around the whole of the water. There are benches scattered across the site so you can rest and take in the view. Dogs are welcome but they are not allowed in the water and they should be kept on a lead. For young children there is a play area and sand pit.

There is good news for cyclists. If you arrive at Alton Water without your bike there is a wide choice of cycles and accessories available to hire. There are four miles of surfaced tracks and an 8-mile cross country route both of which are for the use of cyclists and pedestrians.

A bonus of having so much water on site are the water sports available. Being on the water is an exciting way to keep active and offers a different way to take in the beautiful landscape. All ages and abilities are catered for. Canoeing, kayaking, sailing, windsurfing and stand up paddle boarding are some of the sports available. Qualified instructors are on hand to ensure your safety and full enjoyment and to give tuition to those who need it. There is equipment for hire and wetsuits and buoyancy aids are included in the hire costs. Details of costs are available on Anglian Water website and I am including a link for this at the end of my blog.

Fishing is another great activity that you can do at Alton Water. Coarse fishing is available along the tree lined banks of the reservoir where it is both tranquil and pretty. The reservoir has, over recent years, earned a reputation as one of the best for roach fishing, for both match and specimen anglers. Roach weighing 2lb plus are available to catch. Large shoals of Bream are frequently seen moving across the water. Mirror carp have been stocked and night fishing is available with a season ticket. It is also possible to fish for pike which are predatory fish and put up a good fight. It is worth noting that children under the age of 18 and accompanied by an adult permit holder, can fish free of charge. Anglers must be in possession of an Anglian Waters fishing permit and a current Environment Agency Fishing Permit. Day permits are available on site and Season Permits can also be obtained if you are planning to fish on a regular basis. More details are provided in the link below.

Wildlife watching at Alton Water is a pure joy. Several years ago, on a family outing to Alton Water, I was very lucky to see an Osprey. I had never seen one before and managed to watch it for quite a long while as it circled overhead. It was a real treat. As I remember, it was at the end of August, so it must have stopped off here before it’s long journey back to Africa for the winter. On a different, equally memorable occasion, I saw a stoat chasing a rabbit which was another treat! Keep your eyes open on the nature trail that takes you through woodland areas, flower meadows and to bird hides, and who knows what you might see?

Volunteers from the local area have played a big part in encouraging and maintaining the site for the benefit of wildlife and visitors alike. They have constructed several bird hides and run projects to provide breeding areas for harvest mice, reptiles and amphibians. They have also used locally sourced materials to provide new seating and walkways across sensitive wetland areas. Animal species across the site are monitored by the volunteers. The results are collated and used to plan further maintenance at Alton Water and contribute to important surveys on a national level.

More recently a camp site has opened, so if a day visit is not long enough for you, it is possible to stay even longer. The site has 88 camping and caravan pitches. Of these there are 80 standard and 8 super pitches. According to the Alton Water website the campsite is now closed but they are taking bookings for 2021.

There is a recently refurbished tea room that serves hot and cold meals and snacks together with homemade treats. There are seats inside but, weather permitting, there is nothing nicer than sitting outside enjoying a cup of coffee and a sweet treat while looking at the stunning scenery. https://anglianwaterparks.co.uk/alton-water-park/... https://anglianwaterparks.co.uk/alton-water-park/...