Self-Care Saturday at Earlswood Lakes

The sunshine was glorious at Earlswood Lakes on Saturday 5 April, where people we support met up with Angie and Sam for Self-Care Saturday.  The idea was to take time out for themselves with a social meet up, and enjoy a chat and a cuppa in the beautiful setting of Earlswood Lakes.

Sam accompanied some of the group around the lake for a walk and took a few photos in the glorious sun shine which you can enjoy below.

History:

The Lower Lake is the older of the two lakes. It is mentioned as early as 1363 and was used for swimming and skating at the end of the 19th Century, with maps of 1896 showing bathing boxes present on both lakes.

The site was used for tile making in the Middle Ages.

Earlswood Common has many cultural links, and was mentioned by Charles Dickens in various articles that he wrote, and the Common was home to George Eliot, another famous Victorian author, for a while.  Earlswood Common was the site of the Reigate Workhouse in the 19th Century, and this later became Redhill Hospital.

Nature at Earlswood Common and Lakes:

Earlswood Common contains a variety of habitats including two large lakes, a number of smaller ponds, wetland corridors, scattered trees and woodland and semi-improved grassland which includes the nationally rare plant Chamomile (Chamaemelum Nobile). The presence of Chamomile is one of the main reasons for the SNCI designation. Other species of interest include Dwarf Gorse (Ulex minor), acid grassland and Sedges.

Animal species seen on the Common include Roe deer, rabbits and foxes as well as a pair of swans. The site is also important for bats, birds and many species of insects. In addition the wetland habitats make the site ideal for toads and frogs.

Known fish species include:  Carp, Chub, Common Carp, Dace, Mirror Carp, Perch, Pike and Roach