College Lake

Situated on the  Buckinghamshire and Hertforshire border is College Lake, a former chalk quarry, now the BBOWT flagship reserve.
When quarrying was ceased in the 1980 the pit was allowed to flood, forming a habitat for summer breeding birds and winter migrants:
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The new lottery funded visitors centre now features a cafe, a display of the mammoth tusks found when the quarry was active and best of all - the chemical toilets have been replaced.
The centre features a splendid living roof of local plant life (even if the lawns are not yet complete) and expansive windows to enjoy the lakes which make up the reserve.
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The two mile walk around the lake is unchanged and the sheep continue to graze the reserve in order to create wildflower meadows on the chalk banks surrounding the lakes:
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Old mining equipment, once used to dig out the quarry has, become a display, looking almost like an installation of  modern art 
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College Lake makes a great walk in late summer / early autumn, but there isn't much wildlife about - the summer breeding birds have mostly gone and the winter migrants have not yet arrived. Although there was a kestrel, a couple of woodpeckers and  a flock of lapwings, somewhat hard to see in this picture.
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College Lake will be a more hospitable in the winter, rather than freezing in one of the hides, it will be nice to be sipping a hot chocolate in the warm and watching the birds.