Lakeside Nature Reserve

• Free parking (with unspecified height restriction)
• Bins
• Benches and picnic tables
• Adventure play area
• Nice walk around a pretty fishing lake (fishing rights with Hartley Wintney Angling Society)
• Local Nature Reserve
• 1.4km circular walk
• Links to longer walks along the Blackwater Valley Path

Where you’ll find it…

Find the free car park just off Lakeside Road, Ash Vale, Aldershot, nearest postcode GU12 5AA. Grid reference SU 88924 51852. What3Words: unwanted.media.good.

N.B. We’ve given the nearest postcode, but recommend using the links to look up the exact location. The centre of a postcode may be up to half a mile from your destination.

What you’ll find there…

There’s a good sized car park here, but can it really conceal a buried cement mixer lorry? The sign says it does! Apparently the cement set before it could be used, ruining part of the lorry, so it had to be buried here. Despite such drama, Lakeside is now a tranquil spot with a lovely view across the lake and reed bed. Great for dragonflies on a warm summer’s day, and the small wildflower meadow is a good place to look out for plants such as bee orchid and ragged robin, not to mention butterflies like the common blue.

If you have kids to entertain, there’s a fantastic play area complete with zip wire and mini-climbing walls. There’s also a trail of child-friendly nature posts to find. Or if you’re looking for a longer walk, you can follow the River Blackwater along the waymarked Blackwater Valley Path towards Hollybush.

Gallery…

This ‘Greenspace on your doorstep’ is managed by…

Email Blackwater Valley Countryside Partnership