Today, I took my family to College Lake – an old chalk quarry turned into a nature reserve and bird sanctuary. We made a last-minute decision to go there, so after looking at the map, we didn't expect much. It seemed like a lake with a path around it, nothing more.
And indeed, that's what it is. HOWEVER... What a pleasant walk it turned out to be. Not too short and not too long (around 3km if you go around the lake, but there is also a shorter path available), with great views and accessibility for parents with small kids (my son is 3yo and daughter is 7yo).
There is a mid-sized, free parking area on site. You can get a printed map from a booth next to the entrance (the site is free) – though not entirely necessary, it highlights some points of interest and can give you a better understanding of the distance behind and ahead of you.
Several bird observation booths are scattered around the lake, so if you have binoculars, don't forget to bring them along!
We took the upper path to see the "cornfield flowers" and "chalk grassland." It was a lovely path through flowery fields. The kids enjoyed the fact that there were signs with names and pictures of the wildflowers that could be observed. Although most of the flowers were gone by now, we managed to see a few. There's also an interesting view of the neighboring hills.
We continued our walk at a slow pace. After a bend, we came across a small exhibition showcasing old farming equipment – about 15 different pieces of plows, tiny tractors, etc. My son found it very interesting, and I was surprised by a few aspects as well.
Soon, we arrived on a small hill with a really good view of the lake and the birds. In fact, my daughter exclaimed, "WOW!" when she saw it. We took a short break on a bench to enjoy some biscuits and oat bars before continuing our walk. Now, the path led us through a more wooded area, with trees all around us.
My son was getting a bit tired, so we decided to take the Bird Trail, a little shortcut that goes through deep, dark bushes. It suddenly became a thrilling experience when I mentioned that there might be a wild puma around. We had a nervous laugh and continued down to another bird hide. A few bends later, we arrived at a visitor center next to the car park. We got our souvenirs (a fossilized shark's tooth and a bouncy ball full of slime) and headed back home. The kids were very happy about the whole trip and asked me if we could come back again.
The entire walk took about 2 hours. It was super easy, with paths that were very manageable even for little kids. There were plenty of places to rest, including benches and tables. There are toilets at two different locations and a coffee bar in the visitor center.
I am 100% sure we will visit again! :)
