Titley Pool

Titley Pool is a lake in Herefordshire, three kilometres north-west of Kington. It sits in gently rolling countryside near the village of Titley. The water is a naturally formed kettle lake, deepened and widened in the 18th century when an earth dam was built at its eastern end. This dam turned the lake into a reservoir for the Eywood House Estate. The estate’s landscape gardeners reshaped the shoreline and planted shelter belts of trees. Today the water reflects both the fields and the woodland planted long ago. The lake is one of Herefordshire’s largest open stretches of water. It forms a key wetland site for birds, recognised by conservation bodies. Visitors can watch waterfowl feeding on the open water and along the margins. Reed beds fringe parts of the shore, providing cover for shy species. In winter the pool attracts flocks of wildfowl from further north. Ornithologists have recorded over a hundred species using the site throughout the year. Paths wind around the northern and western edges of the lake. A small car park lies beside the dam, giving easy access to the water’s edge. The surrounding farmland is quiet and open, with few distractions. On calm days the surface of the pool is almost mirror-like. In spring and summer dragonflies dart above the reeds. The scene changes with the seasons, yet the lake remains a calm and unhurried place.