Home Farm put-in (Whitwell)
This concrete slipway sits within the Whitwell Creek watersports complex on the north shore of Rutland Water. One of the largest reservoirs in England, Rutland Water was formed in the 1970s by damming the River Gwash, and the wooded Hambleton Peninsula projects nearly two miles into the water, almost dividing it in two.
Upper Hambleton, on the Hambleton Peninsula, is the only one of the valley's three Hambleton settlements to survive; Nether and Middle Hambleton were demolished before the valley was flooded and lie submerged beneath the reservoir. On the south shore, Normanton Church was saved from the rising water in the 1970s by raising its floor and building a protective rock bund around its base, and now appears to float just offshore, a landmark visible across much of the reservoir. In dry periods the reservoir's water-supply drawdown can expose the stone remains of Nether Hambleton at the water's edge.
Whitwell Creek, where this slipway sits, is a sheltered inlet on the reservoir's north shore and a noted spot for wintering wildfowl, including regular Great Northern Divers and, on occasion, a Red-necked Grebe. The wider reservoir is a Site of Special Scientific Interest, Special Protection Area and Ramsar wetland, regularly supporting internationally important numbers of gadwall and shoveler among tens of thousands of wintering waterfowl, and is home to the reintroduced Rutland Osprey Project, with birds present roughly from March to September.
Nearby
The on-site cafe at the Whitwell Creek watersports complex, run by the park operator; open upstairs year round with a seasonal grab-and-go downstairs.
WebsiteAn ice-cream cafe in Empingham, on the road route past Sykes Lane, about 1.1 km from the launch.
A caravan and camping site on the reservoir's south shore near Manton, open to family campers, couples and solo campers; single-sex groups are not accepted and schools or other organised groups must book in advance.
WebsiteConditions to check
The Rutland Belle passenger cruise boat operates from Whitwell Creek, and all craft must give way to it.
SourceSailing and windsurfing craft launch from the same watersports centre, and an inflatable Aqua Park course occupies a corner of Whitwell Creek.
SourceRutland Water is a large trout fishery, with a fleet of hire boats operating from Normanton Fishing Lodge on the opposite shore; all water users must keep 50 metres from anglers and fishing boats.
SourcePaddle craft must stay within the designated launch area of Whitwell Creek; the reservoir has no other permitted launch or landing point for casual paddlers.
SourceAs a working water-supply reservoir, Rutland Water's level draws down in dry periods, exposing soft mud at the water's edge, inlets and margins.
SourceRutland Water is a large open reservoir, about 7.1 km long and 4.2 km wide; away from the shelter of Whitwell Creek, paddlers cross a long fetch of open water.
SourceQuestions
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