ST ANDREWS LAKES - MEDIA PAGE
FIND OUT EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT ST ANDREWS LAKES FOR PRESS AND MEDIA COVERAGE
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OVERVIEW
Name: St Andrews Lakes
Address: St Andrews Lake, Quarry Grove, Halling, Kent, ME2 1BA (United Kingdom)
Website: standrewslakes.co.uk
Media enquires: marketing@standrewslakes.co.uk
General enquiries: info@standrewslakes.co.uk
Phone: 01634 926 204
Instagram: @standrewslakes @standrewslakeswellness
Facebook: @standrewslakes
TikTok: @standrewslakes
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/st-andrews-lakes
BRANDING
Company name: St Andrews Lakes
Colours: Blue HEX – 0066CC, Green HEX – 99CC00, Orange HEX – FFA500
Text font: Montserrat
Logo download:
LOCATION
Address: St Andrews Lake, Quarry Grove, Kent, ME2 1BA
Nearest town: Halling
Local town: Rochester
Nearest train station: Halling (15 min walk)
Train route: Halling Railway Station is served by Southeastern trains on the Medway Valley Line. Southbound trains run to Maidstone West with alternate trains extending to either Paddock Wood or Tonbridge; northbound trains run to Strood. You can get to Halling Station in under 45 minutes from London using the high speed train from St Pancras International to Halling Station via Strood. From Halling Station, St Andrews Lakes is a 15 minute walk! Southeastern run these high speed trains from St Pancras International/Stratford International every half hour.
Car route: There are brown tourist signs for St Andrews Lakes. You will drive off a roundabout, through a housing estate, and arrive at a big entrance gate.J ust 2 miles from Junction 2 of the M2, and 4 miles from Junction 4 of the M20. Free parking on site.
Google Maps: https://maps.app.goo.gl/smwxdJPN5uHjMzMD9
ABOUT THE SITE
OVERVIEW:
As a former quarry, the team have transformed the site into a superb beautiful blue lake reserve with an amazing range of watersports and land-based activities for all ages.
St Andrews Lakes is a private resort nestled in the Kent countryside, set across acres of peaceful landscape and centred around a stunning 70-acre, spring-fed freshwater lake with crystal-clear waters, sandy lakeside beaches, surrounding woodland, and thriving fauna – including diverse birdlife and our protected fish population.
HISTORY:
Once a working quarry, the site has been carefully transformed into a year-round destination for rest, recreation, and extended stays in nature.
St Andrews Lakes is a former quarry, originally used for cement production.
The quarry flooded naturally, creating a deep, clear, spring-fed lake.
Locally nicknamed the “blue lake” due to its striking turquoise colour from chalk minerals.
TIMELINE:
1800s: Multiple lime and cement works were operating in and around Halling, earning it the nickname “Cement City”.
2000s: Quarrying continued in Halling until roughly the early 2000s, with the last cementworks chimney demolished in 2010, marking the area’s transition away from industrial use.
2017: Land was purchased by Andrew Mackness and Mark Lucas.
2017-2020: Planning permission submitted and approved for outdoor leisure activities and on-site holiday lodges.
2020: Activity trading began, including the aqua park addition in 2021.
2025: Launch of the new zip wire experience.
Present: Now a £3m activity business open year-round, with 175 staff members during peak season with expansions underway and more to look forward to!
ALL ACTIVITIES
List of all activities on offer at St Andrews Lakes:
Activities:
- Aqua Park (6+) (Kent’s biggest!)
- Kids Aqua Park (2-6years)
- Rental – Kayaks – single/double/family
- Rental – Pedalos
- Rental – Bell boat
- Rental – Paddle boarding
- BYO paddle board or BYO kayak pass
- PUPs on SUPs
- Open water swimming
- Swim memberships
- Beach pass / day loungers
- Zip Wire Experience
- Archery
- Axe-throwing
- Climbing wall
- Wellness Centre (18+)
- BBQ Cabin
- Sailing sessions
Classes and Workshops:
- Yoga
- Pilates
- Stretch & Relax
- Aufguss Sauna Therapy
- Wreath making (Christmas)
- Breathwork
- Sound meditation
- Hypopressives
- Cold Water Workshops
- Paddle boarding tuition
- RYA Sailing courses – youth or adult
Groups and events:
- Swim and paddleboard events
- Wellness full moon retreat events
- Zip in the dark events
- Multi-activity days for kids’ school holidays
- Corporate group bookings
- Kids party bookings
- Venue private hire
Facilities and other:
- Free parking
- Wetsuit hires
- Shop
- Lockers
- Gift vouchers
- Café
- Pizzeria
- Ice cream hut
- Crumble bar
Stay overnight:
- Floating lodges (via HoSeasons)
- Campervan pitches (via Pitch Up) are no longer available from 2026.
SAFETY
Find out more: www.standrewslakes.co.uk/useful-information/safety
Accreditations:
- Royal Yachting Association training centre (RYA)
- RLSS Approved Aqua Park – Gold Award 2025
- Adventure Activities Licensing Authorities (AALA)
- National Open Water Coaching Association
- Archery GB
- British Stand-Up Paddleboarding Association (BSUPA)
AWARDS
Hoseasons – Hoseasons Diamond Award 2025 for South of England Small Park – for our luxury lodge accommodation. Read more here.
PitchUp – PitchUp Review Awards 2024 and 2025.
MORE INFORMATION
LODGES
Find out more: https://www.standrewslakes.co.uk/booking/lodges
- Escape to one of our luxury floating lodges, each with private decking, a hot tub, and unbeatable lake views. Perched above the tranquil waters of St Andrews Lakes, they’re perfect for a peaceful retreat or special occasion.
- We work with Hoseasons as part of their Evermore Lodge Holidays Collection for our stunning floating lodges, so all bookings are operated directly with Hoseasons.
- All bookings are directly managed by Hoseasons
- Private hot tubs included with every lodge
- Minimum 3 night stay
- No pets
- Lodge car park 5 min walk away
FOOD AND BEVERAGE
- We continue to grow across food and beverage.
- We work with local coffee suppliers, wholesalers and food companies to supply the best quality.
- For every £10 spent on an activity, roughly an additional £2.20 is spent on food and beverage.
- We proudly have a 5 star food hygiene rating.
- Beach Hut Cafe
- Pizzeria
- Ice cream hut (summer)
- Crumble bar (winter)
ECOLOGY
- An ecology contributes free per booking has been added to checkouts (from July 2025) to go directly towards supporting the ecological care of St Andrews Lakes.
- We have ecology boards and a dedicated website page to provide education on bats, fish, birds, bees, tress, grasslands, and more on site.
- We aim to have a new set walking route with guided tours led by community volunteers.
SPRING-FED WATERS
- The lake is spring-fed, constantly replenished by fresh groundwater filtered through chalk
and rock layers, originating from the Chilterns. - The site was a former quarry, rich in limestone and calcium carbonate, which dissolve in
the water to create the lake’s distinctive vivid turquoise colour. - The water is naturally clear and clean, thanks to nature’s filtration, and is tested monthly by
ALS in Sittingbourne for safety – nearly at drinking water quality.
MARKETING
- We have grown an impressive combined following on social media of over 200K followers which is fantastic for a small, family-run business. We reach over 1million users every month.
- We run regular events that are booked out from loyal customers, from sunrise swims to zip in the dark events.
- We work with local suppliers for marketing efforts – such as OOH screens in Gillingham, map advertisements in hotels in Rochester, and using local graphic designers.
- We have a continuous partnership with Southeastern Railway to promote using public transport to get to our site.
- Contact: marketing@standrewslakes.co.uk
RETAIL
- We stock the very bets brands – Zoggs, DryDrove, Swim Secure, Red Equipment, as well as local suppliers such as Own the Adventure.
- Our Shop and Reception is a friendly welcome to guests, and serves as a central hub for swimmers, check-ins and the lake community.
- Contact: shop@standrewslakes.co.uk
LOCAL KENT COMMUNITY
- We regularly host Kent Fire & Rescue for training.
- We work with local partners such as ME Card, TN Card and Southeastern Railway to provide benefits for local residents.
- We offer a free climbing wall experience at the Kent County show in Detling each year.
- We hold an annual Kent school competition to win a day out.
- We hosted Met Police for Dog Training.
- We regularly organise heavily-discounted school groups, including SEN groups and those part of the Scouts & Guiding organisation.
- Working with Young Lives Foundation, Children’s Hospice, Make a Wish Foundation, and other young charities.
- Kent and Medway lead our customer base, while 12% is from London.
AQUA PARK
- Slip and slide your way over Kent’s largest aqua park at St Andrews Lakes! With a thrilling variety of obstacles, slides, climbs, stepping stones, monkey bars and a giant swing, it’s non-stop fun for the whole family!
- The upgraded Aqua Park launched in May 2026, with new slides, along with a huge collection of high‑energy challenges, splash zones and epic features designed for even more laughs, speed, and fearless fun.
- In 2025, the park was 2475sq/m. In 2026, the park is approx 5100sq/m.
- St Andrews Lakes continues to cement itself as Kent’s leading destination for outdoor adventure and summer thrills.
- 60 min total (Safety briefing required – 10mins, 50 min session duration on the park)
- Min age 6 years and min height 122cm
- Must confidently be able to swim 25 metres unassisted
CORPORATE EVENTS
Find out more: https://www.standrewslakes.co.uk/corporate
- St Andrews Lakes offers corporate packages for businesses looking for a unique team day out.
From fun, fast-paced games to structured full-day programmes, every detail can be built around a team’s needs. - We also offer flexible catering options and a private venue space making it easy to mix productivity with a memorable day outdoors.
- We have returning businesses each year for corporate days and we support small business of 10 people, to large businesses of 300 people.
