JOURNAL #6 – THE LAKE ON OUR DOORSTEP & GETTING OUTDOORS
Over lockdown we have made the most of exploring our local area, wearing Muddy Meadow warm outdoor clothing of course. Being able to walk to our closest lake has made for many mini adventures. We do have a pond next to our meadow which is a great spot for observing various wildfowl but it does only take five minutes to walk around. There is a picture in Journal Four showing a very wintery day with a swan near the far shore if you look closely. So when we need a decent walk and a want a lot more to observe we take a wander down to Chew Valley Lake.
The lake was made by flooding the village of Moreton and opened by the Queen in 1956 to provide drinking water for Bristol and is looked after by Bristol Water. There is always a quandary I feel trying to balance the needs of the population with preserving the environment. Chew Valley Lake I think has provided some redemption as it is now a Site of Special Scientific Interest because of the 270 species of bird that now flock here, including at least half a dozen different ducks, my favourite (just look at our logo). So, an extremely popular site for bird twitchers, along with picnickers and dog walkers (on leads to protect the wildlife of course). And if you don’t feel like packing a picnic you can always pick up some fish and chips.
As lockdown starts to ease all the lake activities will soon be open for use so we are looking forward to having a go at fishing in a boat on the lake or on the bank then grabbing a takeaway coffee and cake. There’s lots of information on the Chew Valley Lake website.
While we love visiting the lake to either just sit and watch the view or go for a walk it has always seemed a bit odd to us that the lake was originally designed so that you cannot walk all the way around. But . . . that could be all about to change as the council are in the process of approving a fully accessible circular route. You can read more here in this news update and we will let you know more on our social media pages as the planning permission progresses.
Lastly, do you find like me that being by the water is calming? This is called the ‘blue mind effect’ that puts us into a calmer meditative state and makes us happier, more connected and better at coping with your day. Try this for yourself by visiting a lake or if you are by the coast, take yourself down to the beach, for a shot of what is good for you.