About the reserve

Titley Pool is one of a number of naturally formed lakes between Kington and Mortimer's Cross. They occupy hollows in an area of low, rounded hills formed from debris accumulated during the melting of ice at the end of the last Ice Age. The Pool is one of the largest natural open areas of water in Herefordshire.  

It is a suitable breeding site for great crested grebes. It also attracts flocks of wintering duck, particularly teal, tufted duck, pochard and gosander. In summer, dragonflies and damselflies hawk insects over the water. Fish in the Pool, providing prey for grey herons, grebes and goosander, include perch, roach, eel and pike.  

The three common woodland warblers, chiffchaff, willow warbler and blackcap, all breed annually. Butterflies like orange tip, green-veined white, speckled wood and gatekeeper are commonly seen.

Although lacking any scarce plants, the meadow by the pool does retain a diverse flora including common spotted orchid, cowslips, hay rattle, birds foot trefoil, black knapweed, fleabane, and various hawkweeds. Various grassland fungi including the colourful waxcaps are starting to establish in numbers in the pasture.