Lake ?

Radley Lakes
Radley’s former Lakes H and I were filled in with PFA ash from Didcot A Power Station in 2005. Until recently there has been a high fences all the way round H and I. Now there are lower fences, but people are still warned not to enter because of soft ground and deep water.
Radley Lakes
Lifebuoys have gone missing at some locations round the former lakes, but there are other lifebuoys in case anybody does climb the fence and get into difficulties in the boggy ash.
Radley Lakes
Silver Birch trees are colonising a lot of the former lakes. The Birch is a very successful native tree, a pioneer species that prepares the land for other greater trees to follow.
Radley Lakes
At one time there were a lot of Radley Lakes (Lakes A-P ) created by gravel extraction.

One small lake alongside H/I was not given a letter and did not need saving by a campaign. It has been left to its own devices. Lake ?

6 thoughts on “Lake ?

  1. David

    This beautiful shallow lake is in at risk of being drained and quarried for gravel, leaving a deep lake with little wildlife interest.

    Reply
  2. Badger

    I wonder if the Sustrans cycle route which runs though the lakes will ever connect with Radley station, originally it was suggested that it might continue to the Oxford-Didcot railway line and then run along the side of it following the route of the Abingdon branch line. I guess it’s complicated to get agreement from the landowners along its length, equally the next piece between Radley and Kennington would mean one could cycle Abingdon to Oxford traffic free.

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  3. Pat

    Badger, wouldn’t it be good if you could cross the river to Culham as well via a foot/cycle bridge next to the railway bridge? That railway bridge will have to be adapted if they eventually electrify the Paddington – Birmingham line.

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  4. Badger

    Pat – Interesting but as with the Sustrans route being extended north I think it may (excuse the pun) be a bridge too far. The ability to cross the river at that point would of course potentially provide commuters to Culham another traffic free cycle route to work if well enough connected south of the river, if all that were to happen I might well have to consume an edible cycle helmet!

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  5. david white

    Shame about these gravel pits. I used to fish them with my father when we lived at RAF Abingdon in the 70s and then when I moved back to the area in 1988 -1993 . I can remember when Radley pit was filled in by Didcot power station . There used to be skiing on Throop pit back then. I had many red letter days fishing both Throop and Bullfield, on one occasion catching 3 twenty pound pike from Bullfield with the local butchers apprentice taking another two further down the bank up to 26.5 lb. Also catching many times 50-60 tench to 5lb in a morning session on Throop. Bullfield after all these years and many top fisheries is still my favourite lake I have fished and the memories are vivid and brilliant.

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