The Traditional Fisherman's Forum

Made famous by the Taylor brothers ( actually two brothers and a cousin) and Dick Walker who often fished there with Fred J Taylor. (I think perhaps this lake deserves to have its own section in this part of the forum ? - moderators/admin)
This is where Fred J Taylor pioneered the lift method and caught numerous tench in the 60's up to around 6lb ( very large at that time for tench). Documented in detail in his book 'Fishing for Tench'.
Fred made a return visit to the lakes just a few months before he died.
It consists of is two beauitiful lakes linked together (the larger Sawmills and the Warrells) which include a section of artificial river.The lakes are currently fished by a syndicate - traditional season - but trying to glean any information about the syndicate seems impossible. I have spoke to the occasional angler I have seen when I have walked round the lakes - it seems just the occasional good tench or inevitable good carp are caught, ie the fishing is extremely hard.
The whole estate is a bit of a wilderness and although there are cattle reared on it, there have never been any modern farming practices. Many wild flowers, loads of butterflies , great woodland. The grounds had been completely negelected for decades but are currently in the process of a slow and sympathetic restoration
The grounds of the Wotton Underwood estate are open to the public ( every Wednesday April to October, plus two bank hol Mondays amd the first Saturday in July and August).
For the pittance of £6 ( and a further £1 for a guide leaflet) -worth every penny - honesty cash tray at the hut - you can do the full three mile walk around these historic angling lakes.
Wonderful , peaceful, magical place. Go there.
Here's a few photos I took on a couple of visits last year:

It looks a beautiful place Julian and deservedly now has its own section in the famous pools and lakes forum. :thumb:

Looks lovely Julian and is less than 30 miles from me so I'll meander over there in the summer. :hat:

That does look wonderful.

Mark - Thanks for giving it a rightful place on the forum

Snape - I cannot believe you have never been there - its nearer to you than me - 34 miles from me and I go foor a walk round three times a year on average ( you can also take a picnic if you wish).

No toilets provided - lots of bushes!

Well worth a picnic, thanks for sharing Julian.....

Is fishing the lakes available on a day ticket?

Kind Regards

luke haines wrote:Is fishing the lakes available on a day ticket?

Kind Regards

No Luke - read through my post at the start and you will see fishing is on a syndicate

I went for a walk round the Wotton Underwood estate today, first time this year, with my lovely lady as she has a week off work. There were a lot of heavy showers earlier in the day, then I looked closely at the weather forecast for that area early this afternoon and it looked as though it just might not rain. So as its only open Wednesdays and a few other days a year we decided to nip off there quickly in the car, as its such a nice place to go for a leisurely 3 mile walk round the lakes.

I expected the weather to be dull and cloudy at best, so did not take my camera , which I really then regretted as it turned out sunny and the place looks even more amazing this year as everything is so overgrown. I've never seen it looking so wild and resplendent in the ten years or so I've been going there.Teaming with wildflowers, loads of butterflies and dragonflies - saw a marbled white butterfly - becoming scarcer these days. A few buzzards circling low overhead including two juvenile buzzards calling. Heard a birdsong in the woodland that I've never heard before. Dozens of swans and scores of Canada Geese on the large Sawmills lake. Only saw two other dog walkers (almost certainly residents from the tiny village who are allowed to walk there anytime), one chap near the entrance taking photos of the house, and two guys who were not fishing but clearly in the syndicate that the lakes have, as they were standing on the edge of bank discussing the fish that are in there.

It was so nice I'm really thinking of foregoing a days fishing in the next week or two to go back there just to take some photos and enjoy it again.

Had another leisurely three-mile walk round Wotton Underwood estate last Saturday.
Unusually there were three of the syndicate anglers fishing (the most I've ever seen there).
The lakes look even better than they normally do this summer.
Thought you might like to see some more photos of the two lakes (Sawmills and Warrels) and the 'river' that links them: