WELCOME TO OTTERHEAD ESTATE AND LAKES

WELCOME TO OTTERHEAD ESTATE AND LAKES

The heart of this Victorian estate is owned by Wessex Water to provide mains drinking water for Taunton, etc. and is managed by the Forestry Commission and by The Otterhead Estate Trust.

Besides seeking to improve the various wildlife habitats, The Estate Trust aims to conserve and restore heritage features such as the 'Lost Gardens' of the demolished Otterhead House, including forms of the late flowering North American Rhododendron maximum, rarely grown in this country. There are successive carpets of snowdrops, daffodils and bluebells as well as numbers of other wild and ornamental flowers.

Most of the course of the River Otter was impounded in the 1800s to form the seven Otterhead Lakes, although only two still hold water. These and other water management features can resemble a neglected water garden.

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO BE INVOLVED WITH THE REAWAKENING OF THIS ALMOST FORGOTTEN HERITAGE LANDSCAPE, PLEASE CONTACT THE ESTATE TRUST.

CAR PARK: There is no charge for vehicle parking, although parking is at vehicle owner's risk. Avon and Somerset Police recommend that valuables should not be left in unattended vehicles. The postcode here is TA3 7EE.

INFORMATION: The Estate Trust's website:

www.e-voice.org.uk/otterheadestate

also includes links to other relevant websites. All may be found by searching for 'Otterhead' using internet search engines such as Ask, Google and Yahoo. Two information leaflets, one describing the Otterhead Nature Trail and the other, Otterhead Heritage Features with a Short History of the Otterhead Estate, may be downloaded (see website) or obtained free of charge by visiting the Taunton, Wellington, Chard, Ilminster, Axminster, Honiton or Ottery St. Mary Tourist Information Centres (check for opening times) or The Co-operative Honiton.

The Otterhead Estate Trust welcomes enquiries; please email:

otterheadestate@aol.com (not for emergency use).

VISITORS ON FOOT: THERE IS NO ADMISSION CHARGE BUT PLEASE KEEP TO VISIBLE PATHS; THE PATH SURFACES ARE UNEVEN AND MUDDY. FOR YOUR SAFETY AVOID MARSHY AREAS AND WATER AND BE AWARE THAT ADDERS, A PROTECTED NATIVE SPECIES OF SNAKE, ARE PRESENT.

ONLY MEMBERS OF THE TAUNTON FLY FISHING CLUB MAY FISH HERE.

HORSE AND PONY RIDING, HUNTING WITH OR WITHOUT DOGS, AS WELL AS SHOOTING, ARE NOT ALLOWED AT THIS TAUNTON DEANE BOROUGH COUNCIL DESIGNATED LOCAL NATURE RESERVE.

DO NOT PICK FLOWERS OR UPROOT ANY WILD OR GARDEN PLANTS.

IT IS ESSENTIAL FOR PUBLIC HEALTH AND OTHER ENVIRONMENTAL REASONS THAT NO WATER AT OTTERHEAD IS CONTAMINATED IN ANY WAY.

The Otterhead Estate Trust Company Ltd. March 2011

WELCOME TO OTTERHEAD ESTATE AND LAKES

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