English Lake District Daily Briefing for Thursday 12th June 2008
Updated on Wednesday at 8.55pm
Wednesday's Lake District Pictures
7.30 am. More cloud this morning, but this sunny spell at High Cross, Grizedale [11/6/2008 by Tony Richards]
Other Recent Lake District pictures
Where is this? (click here to see)
Hodge Close Quarry at Tilberthwaite [taken on 8/6/2008 by Flickr user Pricey]
Divers at Hodge Close [taken on 8/6/2008 by Flickr user Pricey]
Looking back to Windermere from approaching the top of Gummer's How (notice the two hot air ballons) [7/6/2008 by David and Edith Brown]
I'd Rather Be in the Lake District
This section shows photographs from Lake District Now visitors going about their daily lives. If you would like to take part please take a suitable photograph and .
Stoke Lock, The River Wey Navigation, Guildford Surrey [11/6/2008, my own picture]
"The first to be built as part of the initial 1618 – 1619 scheme, Stoke Lock is certainly the earliest pound lock in Surrey, and the debate is perhaps best left to the waterway historians as to whether it was the first in England. The lock sits high above the water meadows and was originally constructed not for navigation but to provide exacting water control to allow flooding as part of Sir Richard Weston’s innovative agricultural improvements. This ‘flowing river’ flooding technique enabled the meadows to produce higher yields of hay by maintaining the ground temperature during frosts, and hence promote early and prolonged growth often providing a double harvest. The scheme, which became widely adopted throughout the country, overcame the problems faced by farmers who struggled to feed their animals during winter.
The current lock, that was opened in 1653, has a large grey dressed stone incorporated into the structure which was brought here from Henry VIIIs palace at Oatlands near Weybridge after it had been demolished in 1650. This was a common practice of the time as building materials were extremely expensive and most of the locks have materials sourced in the same way, and quite commonly Tudor bricks. Many of the ecclesiastic buildings suffered a similar fate after the Dissolution with them being systematically stripped for local building projects. Both Waverley Abbey and Newark Priory along the course of the Wey suffered at the hands of scavenger builders."
Why not do something amazing today?
No, I am not talking about something as painful as giving blood! Why not make a small donation to the charity WaterAid. Just £15 can provide one person with a lasting supply of safe, clean water. Our ambitious fundraising target of £3210 is calculated to help one person for each of Wainwright's 214 fells!. Find out more and make a small donation
Today's Web Sites
Lakeland Cam - Tony Richards visits Grizedale
Wainwright Wanderings - David and Edith Brown walk Gummers How
See yesterday's Lake District pictures
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All photographs reproduced with permission of the photographer
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