College Lake nature reserve

College Lake is a 65-hectare nature reserve in a former chalk quarry near Pitstone in Buckinghamshire. It lies within the Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and includes a geological Site of Special Scientific Interest at Pitstone Quarry. The reserve belongs to the Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire Wildlife Trust and has an information centre, education facilities, a café, toilets and a shop. Before quarrying began in the 20th century, the site was home to College Farm, which took its name from Trinity College Cambridge. The farm buildings once stood on rising ground north of the present lake. The reserve supports over a thousand wildlife species across its lake, marshland and grassland habitats. Rare birds such as lapwings nest on islands built in the lake, while redwings visit during winter. The marshes provide a breeding ground for waders and the grassland hosts a variety of wildflowers that attract insects, birds and mammals. Fossils uncovered during quarrying, including ammonites and sea urchins, are displayed in the visitor centre. A path runs from the Upper Icknield Way to the reserve, offering views over the lake and surrounding countryside. The information centre provides details about the site’s wildlife and geology. Visitors can walk around the lake and through the marshes, observing the changing seasons in the meadows. The reserve shows how former industrial land can become a thriving natural space.