12 | Yateley Town Guide
Where the lakes came from Yateley is characterised by its lakes as much as its heathland There are natural gravel and sand deposits along most of the River Blackwater River and this led to extensive extraction especially after the Second World War in order to meet demand for roads and houses. This is the origin of the numerous lakes along the river, at their most prolific at this point in between Yateley and Sandhurst.
23-mile long Blackwater Valley Path runs along most of the valley passing through woodland and flower-rich meadows. There are efforts to complete the riverside route which currently has to pass
through the centre of Sandhurst. Further details can be found at www.blackwater-valley.org.uk
Swan Lake
Facilities
Most of the extraction ceased in the 1960s and the lakes have since been turned to leisure use, both water sports and fishing. The fisheries at Yateley are among the most famous in the country. This maze of lakes, owned by a variety of organisations, has fish stocks of carp, catfish, bream, tench, crucian carp and eels. In the Blackwater River itself there are chub, barbel, carp, roach, perch, dace and trout. The Blackwater Valley as a whole, lying along the borders of Hampshire, Berkshire and Surrey, is maintained as an open space from the river source, near Aldershot in the south, northwards to Swallowfield and the confluence with the rivers Whitewater and Loddon. The Frogmore Leisure Centre | 01252 873454 | www.hart.gov.uk/leisure Yateleys (including school swimming pool) | 01252 746962 | www.yateleys.com Blackwater Valley Path | 01252 331353 | www.blackwater-valley.org.uk Yateley Green Tennis Courts | 01252 872198 | www.yateley-tc.gov.uk Yateley Common Country Park | www3.hants.gov.uk/countryside/yateley-country-park.htm | 01252 870425 Fishing: Day tickets available from Yateley Angling Centre | 01252 861955 Yateley Green Pond (for under 18’s only. No fishing in the closed season from March 15th until June 16th) Hawley Lake Sail Training Centre | www.hawleylake.org.uk Horseshoe Lake Activity Centre | www.horseshoelakeactivitycentre.co.uk Trilakes Country Park | www.jakesplayworld.com