None of my family were into fishing which meant my fishing was locally restricted.
Then one day my mother contacted a local fishing club the Wimbledon Broadway angling club and they agreed to pick me up and take me somewhere different every Sunday and drop me home again. It was a match fishing club who fished between themselves all season with a leauge system and various trophies to be had at the end of the year.
I owe so much to those old boys for taking me under their wing guiding me and helping me along the way.
On our calander every year was Witley park I remember the first time I saw the place I thought I was in heaven it was more like a big ornamental garden with beautiful statues and well kept lawns. I remember the fishing being that good I had to reel in to eat my packed lunch.
Wonderful crucians and beautiful carp filled my keep net and me as a young novice could even manage 50lb in a day. The winning weight was always 100lb+and always taken from the pads swim at the far end of the lake. It wasn't until the 3rd trip to witley park that I found out that there was more than one lake. We always fished the small lake next to the car park.
One season my friend Tony joined the club his dad was a member( Len a lovely bloke) Tony wanted to have a crafty cigarette so he suggested we have a walk. So off we went up the path and after a couple of minutes we saw this huge lake with a structure in the middle our jaws hit the flaw we could see huge carp cruising everywhere it's a sight I will never forget.
As we walked up and round the left hand bank we noticed and iron gate that was open and a staircase that led down underneath the lake we couldn't believe our eyes.
Tony dared me to go down so I did and when I got to the bottom there was a tunnel and it led to the structure in the middle of the lake I'm sad to say I didn't venture to the end of the tunnel as I lost my bottle and didn't think it was safe.
It wasn't until recently after researching the place that I found out about the under water room and the whole history of the place which used to be called Lea valley park and all this was the work of the very eccentric Mr Whitaker wright. If you look hard enough online there are some pictures of the room and the whole story behind it.
Unfortunately the place is a complete shut shop as far as I know it's now a private family home and the owner is understandably not very happy with people jumping over his wall to get a look at the place. The entrance to the room land and water is now alarmed and visitors are not welcome.
I did hear a rumour alot of the crucians from the small lake was sold on to buryhill fisheries in Dorking by the groundsmen in between ownership. But that big lake is always in the back of my mind the carp have been in there forever. Maybe there is some secret carp syndicate on there or maybe the place has been left completely untouched for years but a place like that doesn't just get forgotten.
I'm sure a few lucky people still wet a line. I just feel lucky to have had the opportunity to see the place first hand because it was to me like heaven on earth and if I never get the opportunity to see the place again I'll always have those memories
