College Lake Nature Reserve, just outside Tring, Hertfordshire, used to be a chalk mine but it has been transformed. It’s now an amazing nature reserve run by BBOWT. Home to predominantly for wetland birds, there is also a large wildlife area and agricultural exhibits. We are regular visitors to College Lake and so this review is updated regularly.
This place is incredibly family friendly, with lots to keep the kids interested and accessible walks. College Lake is a great way to encourage kids’ interest in nature. I do worry sometimes that the kids will annoy the serious bird watchers but actually all of the footpaths are far enough away to not disturb the wildlife. Also, I think that most kids are pretty respectful if they go into a bird hide and someone else is in there.
Family walks
There is a two mile circular, accessible, wild walk or you can walk down to one of the bird hides. The circular walk has taken us between 1 1/2 & 2 1/2 hours depending on how much dawdling there is! You can find a map of all the walks here.
A lot of the birds that visit here are migratory so you will see something different every time. In the first hide next to the visitors centre you come to there is an area where you can see which birds have been spotted for the first time this year.
Because of the nature of the reserve there are places (particularly if you come out of the visitor centre and turn right) where there is very limited visibility for the birds for smaller people right up until they get to the hide itself. In many ways this is a good thing because you cannot really keep small people quiet and if they were right next to the birds there would never be any to see! The hides mean that the children can be children whilst still getting to see the wildlife.
There is a QR family trail around the College Lake nature reserve that’s free to do. We first spotted it at the woodland theatre and it guides you from one location to the next with lots of interactive features for kids.
The woodland area(s)
In addition to the lake, there is a woodland area you can walk through. We love this bit. One, because it’s always quieter. Two because there’s lots of things hidden in there to find. Start off at the Woodland Theatre and follow whatever path takes your fancy. You can’t really get lost because it isn’t big. Eventually you’ll end up at the barn.
It’s also worth checking out the young woodland area at the top of the nature reserve. We kind of visited here accidentally this time because we couldn’t remember which was the quickest path. It’s nice and sunny in here and there’s a little hidden seating area in the middle which would be lovely for a picnic.
The Barn
The Barn is the main family friendly area at College Lake. You could easily just walk down to this bit, do one of the shorter walks and go home if you only want to be there for an hour or so.
Here you’ll find a hut which acts as another bird hide, but this time for garden birds. Inside the main building there are a couple of bird-cams, which you can control to get a better look. Oh and a bat roost. The views across the lake from here are stunning and it’s a good spot for the smallest kids to do some bird watching as there’s boxes for them to stand on.
They have hands-on exhibits for smaller children and a farming exhibit. There is also a wildlife garden which includes an old caravan. There is such a variety of things to do here you can come numerous times and not get bored.
Make sure you have a look inside the outlook inn if it’s open. This place is amazing! There’s so much to discover and the kids found it absolutely fascinating.
Our College Lake Nature Reserve review
In terms of access, it can be a bit tricky with a pushchair in places. Off the accessible trail it can get pretty muddy and isn’t generally pushchair friendly.
If you’re coming for the walks or for some bird-spotting this is a tranquil place to visit and a real favourite with my kids. We have visited here many times and have really enjoyed it whenever we’ve been.
The details included in this review of College Lake Nature Reserve are based on our experiences during our visit, but things can change. If you spot anything that’s wrong then please get in touch and I might be able to update the post if appropriate.
Admission Cost
Entry – Free. For current opening times visit their website.
Parking / How to get there
Parking – On-site. Free but donations of £4 are encouraged.
Address – Upper Icknield Way, Bulbourne, Tring, Herts, HP23 5QG
Toilets
In the visitor centre and at the Barn.
Food
There is a small cafe on site but picnics are also welcome. There are lots of picnic benches near the Barn as well.
What else is nearby?
OMG there are soooo many free family days out and activities in and around Tring. There’s Tring reservoirs and the Grand Union Canal, Wilstone Reservoir, Tring Park AND Tring Natural History Museum. That should keep you occupied for days on end.
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