Wotton Underwood Lake

[The Sweetcorn Kid]

Looks lovely.

I too saw a family of Swans, however, they spooked some carp I was almost hand feeding, so it wasn't exactly a pleasant encounter!!!

[GazTheAngler]

Those lakes are beautiful.

Gaz

[Snape]

Gorgeous and only 30 miles away.... If only... :sun:

[Julian]

Just 'bumped' this post as with spring approaching ( eventually I hope ) and a lot of new members since I first posted this, I thought it may be of interest. All details about the place further up in the thread.

The grounds/ lakes are open to vist this year ( 2013) on:
Easter Monday - 1st April,
plus the late May bank hol Moday and August bank hol Monday,
plus the first Saturday in July and August,
and every Wednesday from 3rd April right through to the first Wednesday in September.
2.00pm to 5.00pm on all dates.

[WindJammer]

I was once a syndicate member, unfortunately time and money constraints prevented me from ever using my membership although I was taken on a couple of invited guest trips with two other members several years earlier.
I think angling rights were initially purchased by the now defunct Vale of Aylesbury angling club but after vandalism to some boats and possibly other nefarious and anti-social activities the lease was taken back.
I know who was in charge of the syndicate but am unwilling to divulge more without permission.
The Sawmills held large pike to 30lb and crucians over 2 lb in the 70's and the Warrels held some carp. Both lakes had good tench populations. I was told the lakes were hand dug to 5' depth and we fished from punts secured by scaff poles run through sleeves bolted the the punt sides and pushed into the soft lake bed. Very stable indeed. The last time I fished was late 70's and my partner and I were so cold we fried up our mackerel and herring baits because we'd run out of food and tea and needed warm sustenance of some sort.
Lovely place where bivvys are scowled at but brollies are ok.
Sounds good dunnit?

[Julian]

We (my other half, her sister and myself) went for one of our very leisurely walks around Wotton Underwood lakes yesterday ( our first visit this year).
The weather, peacefulness and surroundings were the epitomy of mid-August at a classic English country estate. The only person present, who we had a brief chat with was the owner who was out walking his dog. We took a light 'picnic' with us.
The only sounds were birds - two red kites that circled low above us, a buzzard or two in the distance, several views and sounds of one or more herons, many swans ( a few with cygnets), a small flock of lapwings swooping repeatedly low over the lake. many geese and a variety of ducks plus some birdsong in the woodland that surrounds much of the lakes which I did not recognise. Absolute bliss.
Every time I come here I think of what it must have been like back in the 60's when the Taylor 'brothers' and often Dick Walker as well were here catching many good tench.

The smaller lake - 'The Warrels':



The 'river' connecting the two lakes:



A field gate in an unusual setting:



The view through the arches on the 'river' section:



Some views of the much larger 'Sawmills' lake:

[WindJammer]

Great shots, the old memory stirred just a little at these.

[Julian]

Thanks Windjammer.
The place appears to have a very welcoming presence to it, a strangely surreal feeling - almost as if time slows down or has gone back into the past when you are there. I'd love to be able to walk round there in the early morning in summer but unfortunately its only open on afternoons.

[Marc]

Some totally jaw dropping looking sections of water there. Please go in winter and take some more, it would be nice to see it in all seasons.

[Julian]

Some totally jaw dropping looking sections of water there. Please go in winter and take some more, it would be nice to see it in all seasons.

I would love to, but it is only open in the summertime as follows, and only from 2.00pm to 5.00pm as the grounds containing the lakes belong to Wotton House:
grounds are open on Wednesdays from the first or second Wednesday in April to the first Wednesday in September, plus three Saturdays and two bank holiday Mondays.
Just three days left for this year when you can visit:
Wed 28th Aug
Wed 4th Sept
Saturday 31st August

There are two ways I would be able to visit anytime:
- buy a house in Wotton Underwood - the residents of the dozen or so properties have the rights to walk round anytime
- Join the fishing syndicate - but I can't find any information anywhere on the syndicate.