(click for full image)
College Lake, Upper Icknield Way, Bulbourne, Tring, Bucks., HP23 5QG OS Map Reference SP 935 139
Nature has reclaimed this worked-out chalk quarry and in the process has created an outstanding habitat for wildlife. A wide range of wild plants and animals make their home at College Lake – With many hides overlooking the lake it’s widely regarded for sighting water birds and is a great destination for bird watchers, walkers, families and for school outings.
Family Fun Days are a regular occurrence in the school holidays. We just loved participating in ‘The Lost Words’ along with some of the littler people in our family! With map in hand we walked a trail, finding pictorial/information signs along the way and matching these to our trail leaflet, all with the aim of preserving in a child’s vocabulary and visual memory the knowledge of plants and animals. We found otter and bramble and heron and magpie and dandelion and wren and many others…
The beautiful poetic book by Robert Macfarlane, illustrated by Jackie Morris, lent its name to the occasion. Here’s a flavour…
Fern
Fern’s first form is furled,
Each frond fast as a fiddle head,
Reach, roll and unfold follows.
Fern flares.
Now fern is fully fanned.
The eco-visitor centre, with terrific views of the lakes, a gift shop and café (with ice-cream of course) was a welcome goal at the end of a memorable outing – we may have walked the littler legs a bit too far!
