Lake is a village and civil parish located on Sandown Bay, on the Isle of Wight, England.
Lake is named after the Old English “Lacu” referring to the creek that ran along what is now Scotchells Brook, which is between the Isle of Wight Airport and the Morrisons Superstore and the Spithead Industrial Park – the former “Temperatures” air conditioning factory.
Having opened in 1987, Lake railway station was the newest on the island until the construction of a station at Smallbrook Junction in 1994.
There is a Primary School at Blackpan and a Comprehensive (Sandown Academy) and Broadlea School. There are two pubs; The Stag Inn and Merrie Garden (Marston’s). Lake morning Townswomens’ Guild meets monthly at the Lions’ Community Centre in the Car Park first hour free of charge). Brownie and Guide Units meet weekly. The Lions have a centre in the car park (first hour free), behind the shops in the high Street.
There is a Methodist Chapel, a Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses and the Anglican Church of the Good Shepherd. Sandown Rotary have a popular shop in Sandown Rd. Local businesses include Downer & White Funeral Directors, Allegri accountants, Knit Knacks wool shop, Karen Denley Chiropodist. and a Tesco express. The village also features an Indian and two Chinese takeaways, a kebab shop, Lake Fish Bar . There is a public phone box by the public toilets in Lee Road.
Lake or Welcome Beach is reached by a steep path down the sandstone cliffs to the Revetment, which contains two cafes (Hinks and Strollers), beach huts and inshore lifeboat.
The village war memorial was relocated behind the Fairway Bus Shelter due to having been run down twice by carelessly driven lorries. There is a large public park called Fairway Park which has been leased to Sandown and Lake Youth Football Club.
Local wildlife includes Pipistrelle bats at Los Altos, kestrels along the Cliff Path and Common Toads which spawn in the disused reservoir behind the Mall. Sandown & Shanklin Golf Course is behind Sandown Academy and the Rugby Club in front.
The wetlands of the River Yar are an SSSI supporting newts, voles and wildfowl. Recent improvements have overcome the problem of persistent flooding caused by rainwater run-off from Lake Hill and the Mall.