Barrow Gurney reservoirs (1 Viewer)

J

jtibbetts

Well-known member

• Aug 12, 2004

• #1

Alright all, i dont know if anyone can help me but does anyone know how to get into the above reservoirs?
I went down there last week for the long staying Ring necked duck but couldnt find a way in, it looked to me like a private site owned by PURAC who had workings in the area.
As the duck is continually being reported there is obviously someone getting in! Does anyone know how?

 

D

devon.birder

Well-known member

• Aug 12, 2004

• #2

Strictly speaking you need a permit which you can't actually buy at Barrow Gurney you have to go to the Lodge at Chew Valley Lake which is about 6 miles away. I was asked to leave Barrow Gurney last year by the Water Board Warden when looking for the Spotted Sandpiper-he rides around on a motor bike. A day permit covers Blagdon Reservoir as well.
The Ringed-neck Duck is on No2 Tank at the North end.

 

J

jtibbetts

Well-known member

• Aug 12, 2004

• #3

devon.birder said:

Strictly speaking you need a permit which you can't actually buy at Barrow Gurney you have to go to the Lodge at Chew Valley Lake which is about 6 miles away. I was asked to leave Barrow Gurney last year by the Water Board Warden when looking for the Spotted Sandpiper-he rides around on a motor bike. A day permit covers Blagdon Reservoir as well.
The Ringed-neck Duck is on No2 Tank at the North end.

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How do you actually get in though, because i cuoldnt see any easy access points?

 

Andy Bright

Administrator

Staff member

• Aug 12, 2004

• #4

Look guys, we cannot allow members to advocate trespass on the forums. If a permit is needed, buy one. I'm sure some of the money from these permits goes towards the upkeep of the area.

 

Jasonbirder

Jason-occasional-twitcher

• Aug 12, 2004

• #5

Andy Bright said:

Look guys, we cannot allow members to advocate trespass on the forums. If a permit is needed, buy one. I'm sure some of the money from these permits goes towards the upkeep of the area.

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The reservoir is owned and run by south west water - it is stocked heavily with Rainbow Trout for game fisherman, as its basically just a concrete bowl with no shoreline/conservation area i would have thought a permit here would only fund the upkeep of it as a game fishery...As an aside i figure if you`re paying South-west water bills (which i`m not) then you`ve done your bit here...

I would certainly advocate buying a permit at Chew - with its wild areas and hides But for a ten minute walk round a concrete bowl - you`ve got to be joking

Seriously though - if there were any way to pay onsite - then great (Even just an honest box!) but to drive somewhere else then come back...thats just daft

 

CJW

Hit-and-run WUM

• Aug 12, 2004

• #6

If them's the rules, play by them.

 

Andrew

wibble wibble

• Aug 12, 2004

• #7

Jasonbirder said:

. . . if you`re paying South-west water bills (which i`m not) then you`ve done your bit here. . . .

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:clap:

(Mind you there is one flaw there. It is owned by Wessex Water not South West Water.)

 

Last edited: Aug 12, 2004

D

devon.birder

Well-known member

• Aug 12, 2004

• #8

Andrew said:

:clap:

(Mind you there is one flaw there. It is owned by Wessex Water not South West Water.)

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Actually it is Bristol Water plc. This year I bought an annual permit. Roger

 

Andrew

wibble wibble

• Aug 12, 2004

• #9

Aaah, thanks for putting me right.

The trouble for someone like us using the motorways is Barrow Gurney comes before Chew when you come off the M5 so on a future trip I shall have to pop into Barrow Gurney ticketless and pick one up later at Chew.

 

W

Wine Man

Well-known member

• Aug 12, 2004

• #10

An amazing defence of trespass. Why not go to Chew first? Why are birders so tight-fisted?

 

Jos Stratford

Eastern Exile

Staff member

• Aug 12, 2004

• #11

Cos they spent all their money on petrol of course!!!

 

D

devon.birder

Well-known member

• Aug 12, 2004

• #12

Wine Man said:

An amazing defence of trespass. Why not go to Chew first? Why are birders so tight-fisted?

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It is not always a question of money rather it is time. If you have to go to Chew first then if you are coming from the south it will add about 30 minutes to your journey at least. If there is a rarity you want to see it could have been flushed by a Sparrowhawk or something and flown off by the time you finally get there. It is a pity Bristol Water do not let the official Warden sell permits as the Voluntary Wardens do. Roger