Countryside Welcoming the public Welcoming the public The ranger team What we're working towards Habitat work Visitor centres Accessibility and welcoming dogs Playgrounds The ranger team Our rangers work hard to manage all our sites, to provide a safe, enjoyable experience for all, whilst balancing conservation and recreation. The teams are based at our seven main lakes and their key duties include managing visitor safety, undertaking grounds maintenance and looking after our buildings and the wider estate. If you have any questions or want to support our rangers please get in touch. We are always keen to discuss ways to further our work! Lake Email Fernworthy, Trenchford and Tottiford [email protected] Burrator, Avon Dam, Lopwell and Venford [email protected] Wimbleball and Wistlandpound [email protected] Roadford and Meldon [email protected] Tamar and Crowdy [email protected] Siblyback and Colliford [email protected] Stithians, Argal and College [email protected] What we're working towards The ranger team focus on enhancing visitor experiences, protecting natural habitats, and delivering practical conservation, maintenance, and community engagement across all of our sites. Some of our recent key projects and plans include: Completing major repairs to replace an important footbridge at Upper Tamar to ensure safe unimpeded access around this popular site Continuing to deliver the ‘Miles Without Stiles’ project in partnership with Dartmoor National Park at Burrator Arboretum, allowing greater access for all to this spectacular area Water safety engagement at Wimbleball Lake to manage visitor safety. Habitat work We care for thousands of acres of beautiful countryside and vital wildlife habitats. Your support helps us to carry out essential habitat management work, protecting rare species and maintaining healthy ecosystems around our lakes. Our ranger team lead on local habitat management and care for the nature reserves found across our sites, including: Orchard maintenance and restoration at Roadford, Tamar and Wimbleball Traditional heritage skills including hedge laying across our North Devon, Dartmoor and Exmoor sites Managing our magnificent meadows including cutting, collecting and restoring Bird hide maintenance offering a crucial resource to help monitor and view the wildlife. Please consider donating to support our projects and improvements, or get in touch at [email protected] if you can help in another way. Our visitor centres Our visitor centres at Burrator Reservoir and Roadford Lake give an insight into the great work we do, a peek into the history of the magnificent locations and general guidance on what you can do. They are the perfect starting point for your day by the water. Enjoy friendly advice and information about the best walks, wildlife and activities at our lakes. Burrator Discovery Centre ‘The Heritage of Burrator’ located just off the road on the west side of Burrator Reservoir. Roadford Visitor Centre 'The Value of Water’ located next to Roadford Cafe, presented in partnership with South West Water. Whichever lake you visit, our rangers and site teams can provide you with a fountain of knowledge and local insight on the Trust and their site, so if you see someone in a blue South West Lakes Trust top, do stop and have a chat. Accessibility and welcoming dogs We believe everyone should be able to enjoy the outdoors, including responsible dog owners and their canine companions! Access for all We continue to improve accessible paths, facilities and experiences so more people can explore and connect with nature. Welcoming dogs Whist we require dogs to be kept on leads to protect wildlife and safeguard the water supply, we also have three dedicated dog exercise areas. Playgrounds Across the region, we have five playgrounds for your family to visit. These playgrounds are located at: Roadford Lake Siblyback Lake Stithians Lake Upper Tamar Lake Wimbleball Lake We are also encouraging donations to help us replace the outdated play area at Argal Lake. Our playgrounds offer fun outdoor spaces where children can play, explore and enjoy nature. Located close to our lakes and visitor facilities, we seek to provide natural, in-keeping and sustainable playgrounds, using local companies and locally sourced materials. Our most recent addition is at Roadford Lake - a timber-based playground nestled into the woodland beside the café with views across the lake. Supporting our work If you would like to support our work or facilities we offer, there are many ways to contribute and make a real difference towards maintaining and preserving these special places for future generations. These include: Making a donation Becoming a Friend Volunteering Manage Cookie Preferences