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The Grotto at the top end of the valley overlooks the uppermost pool. It seems that the upper portion of the valley has been developed as the most likely pleasure area during what is described as the Picturesque Landscape Period of the late 18th and early 19th century. The Dam…
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The Fishpool Valley has a fascinating history of woodland industry that has provided both food and a source of income for centuries. In more recent history it became a pleasure ground and today it is home to rare and protected flora and fauna. The name Fishpool has a long history,…
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Part of the Fishpool Valley Project is the intention to introduce sheep back into the valley to graze and therefore help keep the vegetation under control. This will require a large part of the valley to be stock fenced. Wherever the fencing crosses a track or path in the valley…
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Croft Castle Parkland has Walks to suit all. Through the woodlands, across open pasture, high up on the Hill Fort or down into the Fishpool Valley. Grab your boot, put the kids and the dog in the car and go for a wander. A map from reception shows you the…
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Croft Parkland is noted for its trees, perhaps the most notable are the rows of Spanish Sweet Chestnut Trees, with their twisted trunks and the barks with their deep fissures. However if you are a lover of tress you don’t need to search for long to find other trees of…
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The Fishpool Valley renovation project began in 2017 with an immense amount of planning and involvement with a wide range of agencies. Our part as volunteer rangers has been to support wherever we can, to help keep within budget. One aspect of this involvement has been to prepare some of…
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Whilst clearing away some of the regeneration of Silver Fir on the high bank overlooking the Fishpool Valley I wandered into an area of the Parkland I hadn’t been to before. I saw a tree that look quite unusual and on inspection found myself looking at a tree that had…
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Buried beneath the foliage of the Fishpool Valley lies a forgotten history, a landscape that has been both playground and workshop for people of an era long since past. Nature has won back the landscape; as perhaps it always will, where man has lost interest or moved on to exploit…
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Update on the Crayfish. In Sweden a crayfish party is a traditional summertime eating and drinking celebration. In the 1960’s stocks of crayfish throughout Europe were affected by a crayfish plague. In the 1970’s signal crayfish were introduced from North America to the UK as a commercial initiative for export…
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One of the earliest tasks I was involved in was to do with accessibility when we as Rangers were replacing all our old stiles with gates. Accessibility has often cropped up in conversation as it did one day whilst considering what the Fishpool Valley project might end up looking like.…
