Swan Lake Loop (variation) - Part 02
w/e 04 April 2021
All of this week's
pictures were taken with a Kodak DX6490
The middle part of this WFH route continues through
Manor Floods Nature Reserve to Pewit Carr.
The main path through the Nature Reserve is still the Nutbrook
Trail but other footpaths lead around the main body of water.
We had come armed with a bag full of bird food and although there
were only a few birds on the water a group of ducks were sitting
on the grass but as we approached they took to the water and
swam away.
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We still left some food for them and then turned off the Nutbrook
Trail to cross the footbridge over the Nut Brook and into Pewit
Carr which is yet another Nature Reserve.
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We may have come prepared to feed the birds but we had not been
prepared with suitable footwear to walk through Pewit Carr, which
is an area of wetland, grassland and woods.
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It was here that we had to abandon the WFH route, or rather vary
it, and find another way to Swan Lake so we returned over the
Nut Brook and retraced our steps back to the former railway embankment.
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At the embankment we turned off the Nutbrook Trail and followed
this up and down path to the top of the embankment.
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From there we took the flight of steps down that we had seen
earlier in the walk. The path and steps would surely disqualify
this route being sanctioned as an official Walking For Health
route which should be level without steps wherever possible but
it did enable us to enter the Swan Lake Nature Reserve through
the kissing gate.
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Had we been able to follow the intended route through Pewit Carr
to High Lane East, we would have entered the Nature Reserve at
the largest pond but this way took us to the middle pond in the
Reserve.
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Again there was a scarcity of waterfowl on the water but we did
leave some more food for a couple of swans.
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We took the path between the middle and small ponds, walked under
the former railway bridge to reach the main pond at Swan Lake
at the opposite side to the intended route. Although this knocked
about half a mile off the proposed walk, it did enable us to
reach our objective.
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There was much more wildlife here too and unlike the other ducks
we saw, these two mallards were much more appreciative of the
food we offered them.
Route
Map
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