Summer Walk 3, Meggies Burn Reservoir, Blyth - Wednesday 21st June 2023.
Walk Number three on the Camera Club summer programme was held on Wednesday 21st June as fourteen members
met in the Mermaid Car park at South Beach, Blyth. The aim of the evening was to explore Meggie's Burn Reservoir,
a hidden tranquil oasis surrounded by woodland, a venue not previously visited as a club.
Leaving our start point, we headed south and then crossed the busy A193 Links Road and continued past the chapels
and buildings that flank the roadside entrance to the Blyth Links Cemetery. Turning west, we joined a track leading
to the Gloucester Lodge Playing Fields. A fine evening saw the group spread out on this quiet walkway as they looked
for images and enjoyed the sunshine. Arriving at the woodland area we turned north and followed the footpath a few
hundred yards to our destination.
The square shaped reservoir was part of Blyth Town Waterworks and had an engine house that was used to pump
water up from the water table into the reservoir and out to local users. Other buildings and two workers cottages
were also originally at the location but were demolished long ago. When the waterworks closed in the early 60's,
the site then became derelict and overgrown, but was restored as part of a caravan and camping site in the 70's
and then later used by several local angling clubs for recreation.
Surrounded by trees and bushes including Meadow Sweet, Wild Rose, Honeysuckle, Himalayan Balsam, Cherry and
Hawthorn, a small raised footpath leads you around the reservoir with steps down to the many wooden platforms onÂ
the water's edge. These platforms gave an excellent view of the large clusters of colourful water lily pads and flowersÂ
floating on the calm water. Plants, ducks, butterflies, damsel flies, yellow iris, and feeding Goldfinches were all seen
and photographed, before our slow wander back to the links.
As we returned to our start point, many members visited the Blyth Battery gun emplacements that overlook the beach
huts and promenade. As the low evening sun gave a pink and purple glow over the calm sea, it rounded off a good
evening of photography. Thank you to everyone who attended.
Davy Bolam.
met in the Mermaid Car park at South Beach, Blyth. The aim of the evening was to explore Meggie's Burn Reservoir,
a hidden tranquil oasis surrounded by woodland, a venue not previously visited as a club.
Leaving our start point, we headed south and then crossed the busy A193 Links Road and continued past the chapels
and buildings that flank the roadside entrance to the Blyth Links Cemetery. Turning west, we joined a track leading
to the Gloucester Lodge Playing Fields. A fine evening saw the group spread out on this quiet walkway as they looked
for images and enjoyed the sunshine. Arriving at the woodland area we turned north and followed the footpath a few
hundred yards to our destination.
The square shaped reservoir was part of Blyth Town Waterworks and had an engine house that was used to pump
water up from the water table into the reservoir and out to local users. Other buildings and two workers cottages
were also originally at the location but were demolished long ago. When the waterworks closed in the early 60's,
the site then became derelict and overgrown, but was restored as part of a caravan and camping site in the 70's
and then later used by several local angling clubs for recreation.
Surrounded by trees and bushes including Meadow Sweet, Wild Rose, Honeysuckle, Himalayan Balsam, Cherry and
Hawthorn, a small raised footpath leads you around the reservoir with steps down to the many wooden platforms onÂ
the water's edge. These platforms gave an excellent view of the large clusters of colourful water lily pads and flowersÂ
floating on the calm water. Plants, ducks, butterflies, damsel flies, yellow iris, and feeding Goldfinches were all seen
and photographed, before our slow wander back to the links.
As we returned to our start point, many members visited the Blyth Battery gun emplacements that overlook the beach
huts and promenade. As the low evening sun gave a pink and purple glow over the calm sea, it rounded off a good
evening of photography. Thank you to everyone who attended.
Davy Bolam.