Dick Walker's Hut

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Mark
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Dick Walker's Hut

Post by Mark »

Has anyone been lucky enough to fish the stretch of the Upper Ouse where Dick had his hut.

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Mark (Administrator)

The most precious places in the English landscape are those secretive corners,
where you find only elder trees, nettles and dreams. (BB - Denys Watkins-Pitchford).

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Mike Wilson
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Re: Dick Walker's Hut

Post by Mike Wilson »

Fished it in the late 60's.
Weather was dreadfull. Had a chub of about 3lbs first cast. Dick, who was in the hut, shouted out 'Alright Wilson you've had your fish. You wont get anymore today'. You would not believe how hard I fished all day. Dick was right, never had another bite. The hut was burnt down quite some years ago.

Mike

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Julian
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Re: Dick Walker's Hut

Post by Julian »

Joined Buckingham DAA a couple of weeks ago and had a good walk along almost their entire stetch of the Uppper Ouse - from a little way west of Beachahampton to Thornton, then on towards Thornborough mill, then along the now famous 'twins' section of the Ouse, where many 3lb and 4lb perch have been caught in recent years, including Martin Bowlers' 5lb 4oz as featured in CTI.
Also had a walk the Padbury brook (also known asthe River Twin) sections on Buckingham's permit.
The whole lot has numerous typical 'Crabtree' style swims with many bends, in really peaceful and picturesque farmland.

Hope to be on the bank fishing there in the next few weeks.
Very sad to hear in the angling press that they are losing the 'twins' stretch.

Walkers hut was on the first section ( Beachampton to Thornton) but is no longer there. The solitary angler fishing that stretch pointed out the location of the hut. He had caught one chub about 3lbs on legered breadflake.
The water levels on the entire stretch were very low.

Julian
There is no peace on earth like the peace of fishing in the early mornings

Davyr

Re: Dick Walker's Hut

Post by Davyr »

There has recently been quite an acrimonious "discussion" about RW on the Fishing Magic forum, in the course of which, several comments were made concerning "The Hut". Could be worth a shufty if you fancy winding yourself up. :twisted:

Sandgroper
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Re: Dick Walker's Hut

Post by Sandgroper »

Yeah, I remember that discussion well being as I was involved in it. The comments regarding the hut stemmed from Dick having said something about one not leaving any more on a river bank other than a foot print. One poster then began to attack Dick on the basis that the hut was far greater than a footprint. He went on and on about it until the argument deteriorated to a ridiculous level and if we lived to that guy's beliefs we would not be able to live in houses. There was no point in trying to tell the guy the truth about the hut, he was obviously consumed by jealousy and was never going to listen to any reason.

The truth regarding the hut is quite an interesting story, and it stemmed from a conversation between Dick, Fred and Ken Taylor. They had been fishing what has become known as Dick's Stretch on a winters day, and one of them said how nice it would be to have somewhere to shelter and make a cup of tea. Various ideas were then mooted and at first an old railway carriage was suggested but eventually Dick said to leave it with him. During the next week he went to an architect friend of his and got him to design a small holiday chalet. The farmer John Marchant and the land owners Marchant Enterprises (no relation) were contacted and the possibilities were discussed. Eventually it was decided that the hut could be built on a small piece of land that was not a great deal of use to the farmer on the proviso that if Dick let the lease on the fishery go, then the hut would become the property of the farm. The hut was prefabricated and trucked to the farm and a number of us spent a lot of the 1961 closed season erecting and finishing it. It was a lovely job and Dick made it available to just about anyone who wanted to go there free of charge. Sadly, too many saw it as something for nothing and that was the value they put on the privilege. By 1969 the hut was showing a lot of wear and Fred and I told Dick that something had to be done, people had to be charged so that the place could be maintained properly. Dick didn't want to charge people but after a bit of arguing, he turned to me and said, "OK, you run the hut, the fishery, the lot. Use the money you make for the maintenance. I implemented the charges immediately and there were screams of anger from a number who had been fishing there for years. They found it impossible to move me and by the end of the season, I had enough money to completely redecorate the place inside and out. I couldn't afford to pay professionals, but I got some friends together and provided the food for the weekend as well as the Saturday evening at the White Lion at Wicken. The decorating came out brilliantly and the exterior wood work soaked up creosote as quickly as we could brush it on. I think that took me three weekends to finish that job.

From then on the hut was better treated and it was also decorated every closed season. My family and I often spent weekends there during the closed seasons and we loved being able to live out in the country for those few days. I would sometimes have the hut myself for a weekend and invite friends to join me there so that we could all have a few beers and some good fishing during a weekend. Some of the friends I had there were some of the best anglers in England and we all enjoyed pitting our wits against some of the most educated chub in the country.

I left the UK in 1977 and Rod Lane took over the running of the fishery for Dick. At some time, I am not quite sure when, some of the useless yobs, of which there seems to be so many, saw our lovely little hut to be an eye sore and burned it to the ground. The foot print the hut left were the concrete pillars on which the hut stood in defence of floods. I think that even they have gone now and all that is left of the hut now is photo's and some wonderful memories.
Eagles may soar but I will never get sucked into a jet engine.

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SooperClooper
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Re: Dick Walker's Hut

Post by SooperClooper »

What an interesting article by Sandgroper, unfortunately I never got to see the hut but a good friend of mine, that excellent artist Ted Andrews did fish there and use the hut, remember seeing a photo of a younger Ted at the hut with a group of anglers, one of whom I think was David Carl Forbes (might have got the name wrong).

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Trevor
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Re: Dick Walker's Hut

Post by Trevor »

I fished it a couple of times a few years ago. It's quite a nice stretch, narrow and a bit overgrown. I think I caught a few small chub. If I recall correctly the hut was on the opposite bank to where you now fish, although of course it's now long gone.
I think I may have posted something about it back in the day.

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Trevor
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Re: Dick Walker's Hut

Post by Trevor »

Trevor wrote: Sun Jun 12, 2022 10:51 am I fished it a couple of times a few years ago. It's quite a nice stretch, narrow and a bit overgrown. I think I caught a few small chub. If I recall correctly the hut was on the opposite bank to where you now fish, although of course it's now long gone.
I think I may have posted something about it back in the day.
Here it is. The link to an Angling Times article in the post still works as well.
It resulted in a few members arranging a trip there, which I ended up not being able to go to.

viewtopic.php?t=3413&hilit=Walkers+river

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