Lakeside

My first visit of the year to Testwood Lakes today, and I found that I was far from alone with a number of dog walkers taking advantage of  clear skies and a dry spell mid afternoon.
Not that it was dry underfoot, but at least providing you kept to the footpaths you could walk comfortably round the biggest of the lakes.
But I doubt anyone would want to swim in these waters, although the notice plainly advises against it.  These are old gravel workings, so the lakes are very deep in the centre and on this one in particular in summer you will find algae on the surface.
In shallow parts dogs love to romp at least in summer.  But any venture on to the water is best left to the seabirds and wildlife which abounds here. Or by craft with the New Forest and Eling Sea Scouts which have their base by the lakeside and are permitted to use the lake for sail training.

I couldn’t resist taking a look at the lakes this afternoon, and I will certainly be back again come Springtime.