The Top 20 Lakes in West Sussex
Looking to visit the best lakes in West Sussex? After all, there’s nothing better than the serenity of the lakeshore — or a quick dip when the weather’s warm. So, browse our list of West Sussex’s top lakes below as recommended by the komoot community, and experience more on your next adventure!
Last updated: November 26, 2025
Ardingly Reservoir
Highlight • Lake
Also a Local Nature Reserve, Ardingly Reservoir was built in the 1970s. It is a wildlife haven with Ospreys even seen here. There are two bird hides on this eastern …
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Burton Mill Pond and Mill
Highlight • Historical Site
Burton Mill Pond is a beautiful place to visit. It is an atmospheric hammer pond and holding pond in the South Downs National Park, near Petworth, West Sussex. The pond …
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Tilgate Lake
Highlight • Viewpoint
Tilgate Lake is the biggest of the three lakes in Tilgate Park. It's a popular watersports lake with lots of other activities happening on and around it.
Human history here …
Human history here …
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Ardingly Reservoir Activity Centre
Highlight • Rest Area
Apart from a café bar where you can stop for a break, this center offers a variety of activities at Ardingly Reservoir, including junior and adult sailing, paddleboard rentals, and the opportunity to try windsurfing, among others.
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Swanbourne Lake
Highlight • Forest
In a picturesque setting, overlooked by Arundel Castle, Swanbourne Lake is a beautiful place that's rich with wildlife. You can take a leisurely saunter around the lake and woodland, relax …
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South Pond, Midhurst
Highlight • Lake
South pond is a historic and scenic pond in Midhurst, West Sussex, England. It is fed by two streams that were once the boundaries of Saxon settlements, and it forms …
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Knepp Estate Lake
Highlight • Natural
Since 2001, the Knepp Estate has been a rewilding project. Moving from intensive farming to process which restore and regenerate nature, such as free roaming cattle and deer and wetland …
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Ifield Water Mill
Highlight • Monument
Ifield Water Mill is a 19th-century weatherboarded watermill, with a big lake next to it. Nice cycle out of Crawley.
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Widewater Lagoon Beach Huts and Coastal Path
Highlight • Beach
This traffic-free section of NCN route 2 runs alongside two bodies of water - the sea and Widewater Lagoon. It's an area of brackish water landlocked by a man-made shingle …
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East Dean Village Green and Pond
Highlight • Lake
Nestled on the outskirts of Chichester, between the villages of Singleton and Upwaltham, the pretty village of East Dean lies in the scenic Upper Lavant Valley of the South Downs.
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Find the best lakes in West Sussex per region:
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Still not found your perfect lake in West Sussex? Check out the guides of these regions to see even more beautiful places.
SurreyHampshireWoughton On The GreenMilton KeynesWest BletchleyOld WoughtonBletchley And Fenny StratfordLittle BrickhillWaltonWoburn SandsWavendonSimpson And AshlandBow BrickhillKents Hill, Monkston And BrinklowWokinghamFinchampsteadKentShenley Brook EndLoughton and Great HolmMoulsoeCampbell ParkBroughtonWokingham WithoutChicheleyShenley Church EndLathburyAbbey HillWolverton And GreenleysWhitehouseFairfieldsCalvertonWokinghamNewport PagnellGreat LinfordMilton KeynesCentral Milton KeynesStantonburyNew BradwellBradwellHaversham-Cum-Little LinfordNorth CrawleyShinfieldSwallowfieldArborfield And NewlandStony StratfordSheringtonBarkhamEarleyYarmouthShalfleetFreshwaterTotlandSt Nicholas, HurstWinnershBuckinghamshireCastlethorpeWokefieldHanslopeBeech HillCalbourneBurghfieldOxfordshireTyringham And FilgraveEast SussexGayhurstWoodleySloughStoke GoldingtonSonningWargraveHardmeadEmbertonRuscombeCharvilStratfield MortimerRavenstoneWeston UnderwoodTwyfordColnbrook With PoyleAstwoodWexham CourtBritwellHolybrookClifton ReynesPortsmouthTilehurstThealeCharthamRemenhamOlneySulhamsteadPadworthSulhamPurley On ThamesPethamNettlestone And SeaviewAldermastonBrighstoneBleanBuckleburyBradfieldBeenhamTidmarshEnglefieldUfton NervetBracknellWalthamNewportMidghamWasingWoolhamptonBrimptonStanford DingleyIsle of WightEast CowesNewton BlossomvilleBerkshireKintburyWindsor and MaidenheadRydeGurnardWhippinghamCold BrayfieldLower Hardres and NackingtonHarbledown And Rough CommonHackingtonThanington
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