Witley Park

[OldBoy]

Probably sure not anyone on here will have heard of the place, think Chris Yates guested there many years ago for carp?

Last time I looked at the place it is now mega locked up, wonder if some unknown 'monsters' are still in there?

[OldBoy]

190 + views and no comments, guess to secret or no one has heard of it 😀

[elmoputney]

2 minutes ago, OldBoy said:

190 + views and no comments, guess to secret or no one has heard of it 😀

Sorry dude I've never heard of it. 

[OldBoy]

No probs mate,

If anyone has some spare time, do a quick google on the place...... very interesting to say the least 👍

[elmoputney]

13 minutes ago, OldBoy said:

190 + views and no comments, guess to secret or no one has heard of it 😀

Turns out I had heard the Chris Yates story when I found out about the underwater room. From what I've read by googling you won't ever get back on there. Sounds like a dream 

[salokcinnodrog]

1 hour ago, elmoputney said:

Turns out I had heard the Chris Yates story when I found out about the underwater room. From what I've read by googling you won't ever get back on there. Sounds like a dream 

I'm trying to remember the Chris Yates book it is in; I've got it I'm sure.

 

[elmoputney]

4 minutes ago, salokcinnodrog said:

I'm trying to remember the Chris Yates book it is in; I've got it I'm sure.

 

The Secret Carp, I listened to it on audible,

[OldBoy]

17 hours ago, elmoputney said:

Turns out I had heard the Chris Yates story when I found out about the underwater room. From what I've read by googling you won't ever get back on there. Sounds like a dream 

Yes, far to dodgy now, and for a bloke of my age!

Remember many years ago I saw some pics of some very big carp in the main lake taken by an 'Urban explorer', if they are still there who knows?

[OldBoy]

Maybe a lot more challenging than the Mere for the Black Mirror?

Not sure a shotgun and pack dogs (apparently) would be worth the risk lol

[Roughtor]

Witley Park.,of course very ,very famous Crucian water ,huge bags of Crucians not unheard of ...

 

Family member ,used to belong to Merton AC and fish matches on it ,coach used to pick them up ..

[OldBoy]

On 20/03/2026 at 20:27, Roughtor said:

Witley Park.,of course very ,very famous Crucian water ,huge bags of Crucians not unheard of ...

 

Family member ,used to belong to Merton AC and fish matches on it ,coach used to pick them up ..

Exactly right @Roughtor it was famous, I fished there twice with LDAS, probably late 70's! 

At the time none of us had any real idea about the hidden secrets the place had.

When it was finally closed to fishing clubs, i think the main lake was netted and the Crucians were distributed to various lakes in the surrey area?, 

Milton lake at Bury Hill received lots - maybe a certain Mr Rowles - was involved too? 😀

 

[Roughtor]

I've got my father ,and two uncles and Graham Rowles ,netting a private lake in East Sussex on film in the late 60s ...

The lake was known  as Strowgers ,I used to get taken there before the tench got put in Bury Hill main lake ..

Fished as a child by the white dove cote ...on Bury Hill..

 

Long way from home in those times ..

[OldBoy]

Yep, the dove cote bank was great for tench, loads of lovely lillie pads back in the day......

On one of my last visits they had all been sadly ripped out..... probably to cater for the new generation of 'pot noodle carpers'! ☹️

Never fished the main lake again after that

[OldBoy]

Seems like the same has happened to another water, a 'non publicitly' group of lakes in West Sussex.... err a fishing club who has lakes near Chichester by A27..... all lillie pads have been ripped out from one of their lakes too.... another brown puddle again! 😟

[Roughtor]

Now my memory head is on ,that lake in Sussex ,was near a place called either Loxwood or lockswood ..

 

Lake was electrofished, it had a mini wildwest town for the lake owners grandchildren ,enclosed netting for fruit n vegetables, huge place ...huge rudd ,and Tench ,all went in Bury Hill, long ,long way from Boscastle...lol,you don't forget adventures like that ,or the journey in a Ford Anglia.. .wtf...!