Surrounded by the striking backdrop of Bodmin Moor, Siblyback Lake lies within the Cornwall Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB).

Car parking 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.

Walking at Siblyback

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. This is an idyllic location to get outdoors and breathe in the fresh air on a walk, run or cycle. Dogs are welcome on leads, so bring your four-legged friend along too!

See a map of walks

PATH CLOSURE UPDATE: The round lake path will be closed for approximately four weeks from Monday 1 November while we remove a block of conifer trees. The car park, dog area, playground and café will all be open but access to the bird hide will be closed.

It won’t be possible to fish on the part of the lake where the path is closed, but you can still fish from the car park to the dam and from the car park to the gate (along two meadows).

Removing the trees means that in future we shouldn’t need to close the round lake path so often in high winds. We will be replanting with native broadleaf trees in due course and would love to hear from any local groups or schools that would like to get involved (please register your interest via [email protected]. 

For further information regarding the works please contact Forest and Land Management on 01404 861400.

Refuel at Siblyback

Pop into Olive & Co. for a delicious breakfast or lunch, a slice of cake or a lovely artisan coffee. Find out more and see the cafe's opening times here. 

Play and Explore at Siblyback

Make memories with your children in the beautiful countryside, and dive into the play area; swing, climb, slide and balance your way across the landscape, with the peaceful tranquillity of the lake as your backdrop. The slide, basket swing and sand pit are firm favourites!

Wildlife at Siblyback

One of Cornwall’s most popular beauty and tourist spots, the surrounding countryside boasts a range of habitats typical of the moorland environment, many of which are valuable to birds. Siblyback embodies a variety of different moods as the year progress, and all are special – experience bright summer days, cool breezes, atmospheric mists, flat calms and blustery winters.

Visit the bird-hide and enjoy spotting the wildlife surrounding you. On the ground, the snowdrop is one of the earliest flowering plants in the woodland and you might spot it as early as January at Siblyback. This could be one of the only flowers visible over the winter months, with a lovely white bell-shaped flower.

Stargaze at Siblyback 

This is also a fantastic spot to engage with nature and the outdoors in its greatest form, by stargazing.

Bodmin Moor was designated as an International Dark Sky Landscape in July 2017; thus, stunning views are awaiting you when you look up at the night sky. 

Activities at Siblyback

You can also get on the water or enjoy a camping break at Siblyback. Click here to find out more.

Fishing at Siblyback

Enjoy rainbow and blue trout fishing from bank or boat. Find out more here.

Siblyback’s History 

To help meet the increasing demand on water supplies, Siblyback Lake was constructed in the late 1960s, with the dam being completed in 1969. One early proposal was to dam the main Fowey valley itself, upstream from Golitha Falls, which would have flooded a large part of the valley, including farms and livelihoods. Fortunately, this proposal was not approved; although the building of Siblyback Lake caused some minor destruction of farming properties, it did not reach the same scale as the Fowey valley scheme.

Address: Siblyback Lake, Common Moor, Liskeard, Cornwall, PL14 6ER