Tringtastic!
4.5
4.5
Date of visit: May 2023
I have experience of challenges around: moving around
Overall Rating
Excellent
College Lake is a wetland/wildlife centre, with walks around a large central lake. A must for bird lovers, it is a lovely, peaceful location with excellent facilities including accessible bird hides, a bat roost and picnic areas. There is a shop and cafe in the visitors' centre (although we didn't try these). There are also toilets there, but we used the ones in the Barn. We did a 2 mile round walk/roll, starting and finishing at the Visitors' Centre. As an active manual wheelchair using a non-powered third wheel add-on, I coped with most of the terrain, but did need a bit of a shove up the occasional slope. The surfaces were variable; some were flat, well maintained and excellent, others were more uneven and took a bit of negotiating. I think it could get muddy on a wet day. There are motorised scooters (Trampers) available to borrow which can be arranged by contacting the centre in advance. Assistance dogs are allowed. https://www.bbowt.org.uk/nature-reserves/college-lake
Disabled Access In and Around
Good
From the Visitors' Centre there is level access out to the wetlands area. You then have a choice about whether to go into the accessible hide to watch the birds, or go on the 2 mile circular walk.
Parking & Transport
Excellent
There is a large carpark with two accessible spaces which are on a hard (tarmac) surface. From here there is level access into the visitors' centre.
Accessible Toilets
Excellent
There were accessible toilets which did not require a radar key and were easy to find.
Staff
Excellent
Pleasant, friendly and helpful.
