Geograph - photograph every grid square

The nature reserve looks very different after snow, a hard frost and even during a fog.

College Lake is a large nature reserve with a very wide variety of habitats created from a large chalk pit. There is a large area of marsh with islands, and a deep water lake, while the cliffs surrounding the pit are in various stages of being "recovered" by nature. There is open meadow land and an area kept as an old fashioned cornfield full of flowers. There is woodland all round the area (originally planted to hide the quarry) and a large new woodland of native trees and shrubs. This all means that whatever time of the year you visit you can expect to see a wide variety of wildlife.

There are good facilities for the visitor (and for school parties), including many hides, and displays of old agricultural equipment. It is run by the Berks, Bucks & Oxon Wildlife Trust. Link