Argal and College, Cornwall

Located on the outskirts of Penryn in Cornwall, Argal and College reservoirs are a beautiful setting for a family day out.

Car parking at Argal Lake is just £2 for two hours, and £4 for the whole day. Your contribution helps us to maintain the lakes for everyone. Find out about the various ways you can pay for parking here.

Explore at Argal Lake

Follow the 2km circular lake trail for a picturesque round lake walk; the path passes through woodlands, wetlands and meadows, providing stunning views of the lake, Mabe church and the wider landscape. Look forward to a beautiful display of bluebells in the spring; recently, these gorgeous flowers have flourished due to the Countryside Team’s management of bracken in the area.

A public footpath joins Argal and College Lakes together, and the trails can link up to longer walks in the surrounding area, on public footpaths and through College Lake woods down to Penryn.

Refuel at Argal Lake

Make a stop at the lovely Wild Vibes café. Bring your dog along; there are fresh water bowls and free dog treats. There is an outside tap for those muddy paws, and a dog exercise field where you can let your dogs off the lead.

Wild Vibes Cafe - please check our update page

Play and Explore at Argal Lake 

There are expansive green spaces and a children’s play area, providing a great spot for a picnic or barbeque. The play area at Argal has recently been updated with balance beams, a dragonfly bench, and stepping stones, so let loose and get active in the great outdoors!

Fishing at Argal Lake

Argal Lake is a very successful and popular coarse fishery, with permits available from the self-service hut on-site or from our fishing website.

Explore College Lake

Hidden away at the top of a wooded valley and walking distance from the market town of Penryn, College Reservoir is one of our less well known lakes. In 2012, a 1km footpath was opened along one side of the lake, with core funding from SITA Cornwall Trust and support from The Tanner Trust, Penryn Town Council, Mabe Parish Council and the Cornwall Council Community Grant Scheme.

This path is a great asset, allowing visitors to explore this beautiful site easily, and providing a link from Penryn to Argal Reservoir and the village of Mabe.

Relax and enjoy the tranquillity of woodland and water within the Nature Reserve at College. In winter, the lake is the perfect place to find species of ducks and wading birds, while in spring and summer, breeding swans and great crested grebes steal the show.

Wildlife at the lakes 

A great range of habitats constitute the countryside surrounding the lakes, for example: woodland, open water, grassland, farmland, willow carr and meadows. These are home to a variety of wildlife, making this location an interesting place to visit all year round. Bird walks are a particular favourite; ducks and waterfowl are aplenty, and all sorts of species have been spotted recently, such as wigeon, pochard, great crested grebe, tufted duck, mallard, goldeneye, and even the elusive yellow browed warbler.

Bat walks often take place through the year at Argal Lake; some recent sightings have included pipistrelle, soprano pipistrelle, noctule, Daubenton’s, and the rare nathusius pipistrelle. Keep an eye out for our upcoming events if you would like to come along and get involved! 

Address: Argal, near Penryn, Cornwall, TR11 5PE