Activities and Camping

Great days out with South West Lakes Trust

We have five Activity Centres across the region, where you can hire watersports equipment, launch your own craft or learn something new with our friendly and qualified instructors:

Roadford Lake in Devon
Siblyback Lake on Bodmin Moor
Stithians Lake in West Cornwall
Tamar Lakes on the Devon Cornwall border
Wimbleball Lake on Exmoor.

Extend your stay and camp at Roadford Campsite, Siblyback Campsite, Stithians Campsite, Tamar Campsite or Wimbleball Campsite.

Our lakes provide the perfect setting for a great day out in Cornwall, Devon and on Exmoor. Venture along our trails, encountering nature face to face. Refuel at our onsite cafés with delicious snacks, cakes and hot drinks. Enjoy a wide range of fun things to do – try an activity on or off the water for the very first time, shoot an arrow or swing through the trees, discover paddleboarding or explore our lakes by canoe. Extend your stay and enjoy a night under canvas, create a family holiday packed with new experiences creating lifelong memories.

Holidays like no other

Keep the whole family entertained with a range of activities on and off the water. Our expertly trained instructors offer superb sessions for you to experience a day out like no other. From canoeing, kayaking, windsurfing to archery and high ropes – there’s plenty of outdoor activities to experience the ultimate day out or holiday with the family in Cornwall, Devon and on Exmoor.

#ItsYourOutdoors - come and explore!

Download our Camping and Activities Terms and Conditions.

Meet Lark Bridges, Chief Instructor at Stithians Lake

My name is Lark and I am Chief Instructor at Stithians Lake near Redruth. I have been working for South West Lakes Trust for 5 years now.

I have always enjoyed being outdoors and on or in the water! I went to school in Falmouth and after completing A Levels in Maths and Photography decided that I didn’t want to work indoors, so I started a Level 3 Diploma in outdoor education at Falmouth Marine School. This course gave me the skills and qualifications I needed to become a Watersports instructor. I started volunteering at Stithians Lake during my first year of the course and once I had gained instructor qualifications in windsurfing and kayaking I began working at the Lake as an instructor.

South West Lakes Trust have helped me to continue to improve and develop my skills even further since completing my course at Falmouth Marine School. I now teach stand up paddleboarding and dinghy sailing and have completed my intermediate and senior windsurfing instructor qualifications, which is when I begun working as Chief Instructor. This does mean that I spend a bit more time in the office but I have really enjoyed being able to plan and organise events for the upcoming season!

Stithians Lake is a beautiful place to work and getting to introduce people to a new and exciting sport or just to improve their skills is so rewarding!

My job involves a variety of tasks including managing staff, the campsite, organising events and bookings, teaching on water sessions and ensuring our facilities are kept clean and tidy! I really enjoy the fact that every day at work is different and we have a brilliant team of staff at Stithians Lake that are all really passionate about what they do.

I am looking forward to the season ahead, summer is always very busy with lots of people having fun on the water!

Latest

Earth Day 2024

Monday 22 April is Earth Day! The theme for 2024, ‘planet vs plastic’, is aiming to raise awareness about plastic use worldwide and to ultimately reduce plastic use by 60% by 2050. Dartmoor Biodiversity Officer Morwenna discusses the use of plastic tree guards in our work, when they are necessary and how they can be substituted.
Opening Times and Contact Us

Please check opening times before travelling to site. Here you will find the opening times and contact information for both Roadford Lake Activity Centre and the Roadford Cafe.
Summer half term activities at Roadford Lake

We have an action-packed summer half term activity programme at Roadford Lake, with the chance to try your hand at sailing, windsurfing, archery, paddleboarding, kayaking and high ropes.
Locals month

We are offering 25% off equipment hire in May to our local community as a thank you for your continued support.

Meet Upper Tamar Lake Sailing Club

Upper Tamar Lake Sailing Club will be taking part in The Great Hobby Weekend at RHS Garden Rosemoor, Torrington on Saturday 16th and Sunday 17th of September.
Radio Sailing at Tamar Lakes

Have you heard about radio sailing? Learn more from the members of North Devon Radio Sailing Club Racing, who meet weekly at Upper Tamar Lake.
Meet Alan Smith, Visitor Experience Manager, Tamar Lakes

My name is Alan Smith, and I joined South West Lakes this year as Visitor Experience Manager at Tamar Lakes. When I'm not planning nature trails or looking after the welfare of our diverse fisheries you can find me running in the hills, down by the lake or climbing a tree.
Meet Beth Merriott, Administrator at Roadford Lake

Hello, my name is Beth Merriott and I’m the administrator for Roadford Lake Activity Centre which is based between Okehampton and Launceston. I’ve been working for SW Lakes since March 2019. You’ll mainly find me in the office but I do try to get out and about around site to greet customers and check the facilities.
Meet Matt Lennox, Visitor Experience Manager, Central

Hello everyone, my name is Matt Lennox and I’m the Visitor Experience Manager covering the central area which includes Roadford Lake and Siblyback Lake. I have been involved with the great work South West Lakes Trust do since the age of 16, starting off as a kayaking instructor during the summer months at Tamar.
Meet Becki Hayward, Chief Instructor at Roadford Lake

Hi, I’m Becki, Chief instructor at Roadford Lake. I have worked for South West Lakes Trust for 4 and a half years. I spent my childhood messing around on the beach and was always far happier outside in the fresh air than shut up indoors.
Meet Luke Hoather, Visitor Experience Manager, Exmoor

Hi everyone, my name is Luke and I am the Visitor Experience Manager for Exmoor. I actually only stepped into a Dinghy for the first time when I was 21 years old.
Meet Matt Loughlin, Visitor Experience Manager, West

My name is Matt Loughlin and I’m the Visitor Experience Manager covering West Cornwall and have worked for South West Lakes Trust on and off since 2000.
Have Fun in Nature’s Playground this February Half Term!

It is becoming ever more difficult to give children access to outdoor learning spaces – be that through formal education or visits with their families.
25 free things to do when visiting the South West Lakes

Experience the best things to do outdoors and get your children learning about nature. There’s masses of things to do at our South West lakes – discover wildlife, identify trees, build a bug hotel or make nature art.

Current reservoir levels

See the current water levels in our reservoirs.
Equipment Hire

Experience the ultimate family adventure by exploring the lakes at your own pace. We have a variety of watersports equipment available to hire including; kayaks, canoes, stand up paddleboards and more.
Wimbleball Lake, Exmoor

Wimbleball is a hub of colour and activity throughout all the seasons. Nestled within the rolling hills of Exmoor National Park, there are plenty of ways to get active at Wimbleball. With an array of walking and cycling trails winding around the 530 acre site, and a fantastic range of watersports and other activities available, this is the perfect location to spend a day outdoors – whether you are looking for a leisurely stroll or a challenging expedition.
South West Lakes Trust Booking Confirmation

Thank you for your South West Lakes Trust booking. You’ll receive a confirmation email shortly with details of your booking.
Book Now
Self-launch and Launch Membership

Already have your own kit? You can launch your own kayak, canoe, dingy or stand up paddleboard at our lakes! And, if you are a regular visitor, you can even become a member and launch as often as you like at all five activity centres!
Wimbleball Campsite

Experience a family camping holiday like no other at Wimbleball Lake, nestled in the hills of Exmoor National Park. Create the ultimate camping break packed with adventure, creating lasting memories for the whole family.
Roadford Lake, Devon

Roadford Lake sits within the stunning surroundings of the Wolf Valley, close to Launceston on the Cornwall border. One of the biggest and busiest inland waters in the South West, the lake is surrounded by a variety of natural habitats, including Culm Grasslands, woodlands, old pastures and orchards.
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Siblyback, Cornwall

Surrounded by the striking backdrop of Bodmin Moor, Siblyback Lake lies within the Cornwall Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB). There is a beautiful 5km round lake circuit, which is perfect for pushchairs, wheelchairs and bicycles. The path runs adjacent to the lake, and passes by the impressive Siblyback Dam and through woodlands.F