Car parking at the lakes is just £2.50 for two hours and £5 for the whole day. All income from our car parks contributes to the upkeep and enhancement of the lakes for our visitors and wildlife - from conserving important habitats to maintaining your favourite walks.

The lakes where car parking fees apply are: Roadford Lake, Fernworthy Reservoir, Trenchford Reservoir, Siblyback Lake, Argal Lake, Tamar Lakes, Wimbleball Lake, Stithians Lake and Wistlandpound Reservoir.

Most people who use our car parks do pay, but non-payment is a particular problem at Argal. For this reason, we are using automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) technology as a trial at Argal.

The ANPR is operated by Smart Parking on behalf of South West Lakes. Further information on Smart Parking’s personal data privacy policy can be accessed here.

The lakes are a wonderful place to connect with nature and enjoy the freedom these natural spaces offer in all seasons, from watching the leaves turn golden and crisp, to that first breath of spring air. We are always looking at ways to improve the visitor experience and safety of our sites, which is why we have introduced the option of touch free parking. Find out more about the various ways you can pay for parking below.

RingGo

You can use RingGo, the UK’s no.1 parking app to pay for your parking.

By downloading the free RingGo app, you can pay for your parking without having to touch a parking machine or queue up. It’s quick, secure and there’s no need to hunt for loose change.

How does RingGo work?

To download the RingGo app, go to the Apple App Store or Google Play Store and search for RingGo. Once you’ve downloaded the app, set up your account by registering a few details.  When you want to park, you can pay in seconds.

Once you’re parked, you need to confirm the vehicle you’re using and let the service know exactly where you’re parked. You do this by entering the location number, advertised on local signs.

Don’t forget, if your parking is running out, you can extend your time wherever you are, just by using the RingGo app. Select your current session and the app will ask how long you want to extend.  Choose a time, confirm, and you’re good to go.

There is also the option to pay in advance, which may be helpful if you struggle to get signal at the lakes.

Our rangers know you’re parked with RingGo by checking your vehicle registration on their devices.

What are the benefits of using RingGo to park?

• Touch free parking without visiting a machine.
• No more coins – you’ll never have to worry about carrying change again. Just download the RingGo app.
• Enjoying the beautiful scenery and want to stay a bit longer? Just click the extend button, wherever you are. There’s no need to dash back to the car park or the machine.
• Our handy reminders alert you when your parking is running out and you can top up too.

Tell me more …

There is a small 10p convenience fee applied to every RingGo parking session or extension.

The optional confirmation and alert texts cost 10p per message, but you can opt-out from them at any time.

If you’re not a smartphone user, you can still use RingGo to pay for your parking in South West Lakes by calling 01566 706 756.

You can also register and book parking with RingGo online.

If you need any more information, please visit RingGo.co.uk.

Pay and display

Our pay and display machines are available to use with cash – just pop the ticket in your windscreen.

Become a Friend

If you are a regular visitor, you might want to consider becoming a Friend of South West Lakes. This will provide you with a car parking pass for the year, for all our car parks across the south west, whilst supporting our important work. There are options of a single (£35), joint (£50) or family (£55) Friendship, and you can choose which campaign to support. Find out more about some other benefits and how to join here.