Martyn's Blog

On Thursday 19th May, I had a walk around Albert Village lake, a large nature reserve on the site of a former clay pit in the Leicestershire village of Albert Village, just a short walk over the Derbyshire border from Swadlincote.

Albert Village grew in the 1870s as the clay mining and pottery industry in the surrounding area expanded. The community was formerly called “Mushroom Lane” after the main road, but took the name Albert Village from the Albert Brick & Tile Works, itself named after Queen Victoria’s husband Prince Albert. The village was given the nickname of “Borra Nock” (Borrow Knock) from the local custom of knocking on a neighbour’s door to borrow things such as a cup of sugar.

The lake itself was established in 2003 as part of a wider regeneration of the area, ravaged by the decline and closure of the local industry. It attracts many forms of wildlife and is a good place for bird watchers to see some rare birds.

It is also a good place to get some exercise, with fairly level and easy to traverse pathways, ideal for jogging, walking or riding a bicycle. However, swimming in the lake is prohibited as it is considered too dangerous because of the size of the lake and the cold temperature of the water.

I spent a good hour or so walking around the lake in the sunshine. There were a few other people around enjoying the afternoon sun, as well as some birds and little ducklings learning to swim. There are benches all around the lake for people who want to just sit and soak up the sun while admiring the views.

Thanks very much for reading. You can follow this blog on all social media platforms, all the links are right here.