Marton Pool

Marton Pool is a natural lake beside the village of Marton, also called Marton-in-Chirbury, in Shropshire, close to the Welsh border. The village sits about 8 km (5 miles) southeast of Welshpool, and the pool lies near Chirbury. Do not confuse it with the second Marton Pool near Baschurch, further east in the same county, or with Marton Mere in Blackpool.

What is Marton Pool?

The open water covers roughly 13.7 hectares (measured in 2000). Together with the surrounding fen and woodland, the protected area reaches 17.21 hectares and carries Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) status. The pool also belongs to the Midland Meres and Mosses, a group of wetlands recognised as internationally important under the Ramsar convention. The outflow forms the source of Rea Brook, a stream that runs east toward Shrewsbury.

What will you see?

Expect a calm sheet of water ringed by reedbed, damp ground and trees, set among the rolling farmland of the border country. It is a classic glacial mere, and wetlands like this shelter waterfowl and plants that have vanished from drained land elsewhere, which is why birdwatchers and botanists value it. A track toward Bank Farm climbs to about 240 m above sea level and gives a view over the pool.

How do you get there?

Marton stands on the B4386, the road linking Montgomery in Wales with Shrewsbury. From Welshpool it is about 8 km as the crow flies; from Shrewsbury you follow country roads west through Shropshire. The pool sits at roughly 52.617 N, 3.043 W. The simplest plan is to drive, leave the car in the village and continue on foot along local lanes and paths.

When should you visit?

Spring and early summer are best, when the wetland is in full growth and birds are nesting. Autumn and winter bring visiting wildfowl. Early mornings are quiet and give the best light. Wear waterproof footwear, because the ground around a fen stays soft.

What else is nearby?

Chirbury has a historic church and several listed farmhouses. Montgomery, with its ruined castle, and Welshpool, home to Powis Castle, are short drives away, so the pool slots easily into a day along the Shropshire and Powys border.

Frequently asked questions

Where exactly is Marton Pool? In Shropshire, near Marton-in-Chirbury, about 8 km southeast of Welshpool. A different pool with the same name lies near Baschurch.

Is it a protected site? Yes. It is a 17.21 ha SSSI and forms part of the Midland Meres and Mosses wetlands listed under Ramsar.

What flows out of the lake? Rea Brook, a small stream heading toward Shrewsbury.

Is Marton Pool the same as Marton Mere? No. Marton Mere is in Blackpool, Lancashire, and is an entirely separate site.