|   The
new lake by the River Calder at Durkar,
a former gravel pit which now forms part of a flood relief scheme, looks
more impressive than I'd imagined it would. There's an impression of one
long blue lagoon because only a narrow strip of land, which the footpath
runs along, separates the new lake from an existing lagoon, flooded some
10 or 15 years ago, close to the Denby Dale Road.
Shelducklings
 Cormorants
stand drying their wings and a pair of shelduck are swimming
along with nine grown-up ducklings. Two ringed plovers
flit along the shore while great crested grebes are swimming out on the
lake. A warbler sings from a reedbed that is now well established on the
older lagoon.
 Giant
hogweed is becoming a feature of the riverbanks. A whitethroat
makes a display flight from a riverside thorn.
The hazy cloud has cleared as we've been walking and the sun is e we
come out at a still bare rubbly stretch of ground at the foot of a flood
defence barrier by a shiny new Jaguar showrooms I'm reminded of what it
felt like in Mallorca, walking up the rocky slope from our resort at Porto
Pollenca to the rugged Bocquer Valley.
Pugneys Café
Pugneys café
|
It's even more sweltering inside, as we wait to buy a drink in
the new café at Pugneys Country Park; what a shame they didn't
go for a grass roof instead of the metal one. Not only would it
be cooler in summer and warmer in winter, it would also mean that
the café would disappear when seen from the other side of
the lake and, who knows, perhaps Canada geese would graze on the
roof.  |
How I would have designed it
|
Richard Bell, richard@willowisland.co.uk
|
