Dick Walker on "Health & Safety"
Posted: Tue May 12, 2020 4:26 pm
Below is reproduced a letter from Dick to my late fishing partner William Gillingham, regarding his Anglers Accommodaton on the Ouse.
From Walker.
1a Water Lane, Flitwich, Beds. ........................ 12th January, 1977
Dear Bill,
Of course you can arrive on a Monday and leave on a Friday.
I imagine your best route would be up the M1 coming off at the intersection leading to Newport Pagnell, then going through Wolverton and coming on to the A5 road at Stony Stratford. Go north through Stony Stratford, over the bridge crossing the Ouse and up to the traffic lights at the northern end of the town, where there is a left turn to the A422, signposted Old Stratford, Deanshanger and Buckingham.
About 3-4 miles from these lights, along the A422, there is a farm entrance over a cattle grid, leading to an avenue of lime trees. Drive down this avenue, and you'll arrive at the farmhouse. Either Mr or Mrs Edmundson at the farm will tell you it it is safe to drive down to the hut and if so, which was to go. It's tricky to get the car down if the ground is wet, because of the slope.
Here is a map showing the fishery and adjacent land.
There are no rules, fish how you like and do what you like with what you catch. You'll need Anglian Water Authority licenses.
At the back of the hut, underneath, there's a gate-valve which you should find turned off. Turn it on to get water in the tap in the sink, then off before you leave. The water seems rusty when first turned on, but clears after running for a bit.
It's best to empty the Elsan when you arrive, put some water and chemical in it, leave it when you go, don't empty it then. By the time the next visitors arrive, the chemical should have done its stuff and only liquid is left to empty. You do the emptying in the hedge behind the hut.
Open the door and all the windows as soon as you arrive and don't smoke or strike lights. The gas should have been turned off at the cylinders at the back of the hut, and at all gas taps in the hut, but in case some twit left gas escaping, it is best to proceed as above, because it is hard to catch those big chub if your head has been blown off.
Don't burn your tackle if you don't catch big chub. It's only fair to warn you that they are pretty difficult to catch, and it takes most people more than one visit to succeed. It did me, I can tell you! If you aren't successful, you can always come again.
The only other parties who have booked so far, have chosen 8, 9th and 10th July, and another for some time in August, dates haven't been confirmed.
Remind me nearer the date you choose to send you the hut key. If I were you I'd try to come as early in the new season as I could manage.
Sincerely,
Richard Walker (Dick)
----------------------------------------
1a Water Lane, Flitwich, Beds. ........................ June 10th, 1977
Dear Bill.
The Ouse was in a marvellous condition when I went to have a look at it about 10 days ago, plenty of water coming down, crystal clear and far less rubbish than usual at this time. We had a tremendous flushed down it in the winter, which seems to have shifted a lot of old reeds.
There is no shortage of chub, I counted over 50 in 100 yards mostly between 2 and 4 pounds, but, five or six I saw would be 5 pounds or more, and one looked nearer 7 then six.
I also saw three shoals of pretty fair roach around the pound with one or two bigger bigger ones, I wouldn't guarantee that anywhere as big as 2 pounds, but if not they weren't far short of it. The usual bream shoals were there too, one at the bottom end of the fishery, about half a dozen 6 pounders and the other at the top end of the middle Meadow, about 15 fish between 5 and 7 pounds. I saw far fewer dace than usual and even fewer minnows, which is a blessing to anyone after roach.
There will be only one other angler fishing between the 16th June and the 20th when you arrive and that's me, so you won't find the fish heavily hammered. I only want to catch one or two, to get a few photographs.
If you can get hold of some black slugs before you come, do. You can feed them up up on cabbage or lettuce leaves. Also having witnessed the bank erosion that happened in the winter I guess those chub would be very eager to be offered a big fat worm, bigger the better.
I'll do my best to remember to leave a beta light float in one of the drawers of the sideboard in the hut, so you can try float fishing after dark, if you like. There are one or two swims that are now sufficiently open to make float fishing defiantly possible. Probably most of your daytime fishing will be free-lining or very light ledger, with a beta light float after dark can be deadly for chub, roach or bream.
I cant remember if I gave you full directions for finding the hut, but I assume you will be coming up the M1 or the old A5. If the M1, set off where it says NEWPORT PAGNELL and follow the signposts to WOLVERTON and STONY STRATFORD. On approaching STONY STRATFORD, you will find it is now by-passed, so look for TOWCESTER signposts. You want to arrive at the traffic lights where the A508 NORTHAMPTON road and the A422 Buckingham road joins the A5. Look on the map. You arrive at the same junction and lights if you come up the old A5. Here you turn left along the A422 for about 3 1/4 miles, looking out for an entrance over a cattle grid, down an avenue of lime trees.
This is Little Hill Farm, ask Mr or Mrs Edmondson at the farm, which track to take down to the hut, and watch your car springs, when you go over either of the canal bridges! I usually turf out and passengers and go over very, very, very slowly!
I hesitate to mention this, but a lot of chocolates for Mrs Edmundson and her children might help to pave the way, just in case you get stuck and had to ask for help to get the car out. Don't worry that very seldom happens, but in the event of continuous heavy rain, it isn't entirely impossible.
We have sorted out the hut and fixed a Hampshire gate, which can be detached to let you car into the enclosed grounds of the hut, so it is safe from cattle. In case you arn't familiar with Hampshire gates, I'd better explain that they are simply detachable sections of barbed wire fences, fixed at one end, but with wire loops to attach and detach the other end.
Don't forget the toilet paper!
Pissing off the hut porch is strictly forbidden, unless it is raining enough to wash it away!
Don't be alarmed when you first sight the hut, it looks like a small warehouse at 400 yards, but grows as you get nearer. You can't miss it, it has a light tiled roof with a weathercock on the facet. The weathercock is fixed to indicate a SW wind, the best wind for fishing. There are trees and bushes around one side.
The fishery rules are not very complicated, in fact there's only one.
Do what you'd do, if it were your own fishery and your own hut.
Did I tell you that you need an Anglian Water Authority rod licence?
I hope to get over one evening while your there if possible.
If by some misfortune you run out of calor gas, get a new cylinder from Chipperfields, the ironmongers on the west side of Stony Stratford High Street, and tell them to charge it to my account and that its for the fishing hut at Little Farm Hill. I've had an account with them for about 20 years, so they know all about us. Same for any other items you might just possibly need, such as gas mantels or Elsan fluid. You should find enough of everything, but if not, you know what to do.
The fishing goes from Thornton Bridge, down to the end of the third field, where there's a notice board saying "Beachampton Angling Club". The hut is just inside the third meadow, so if you cross no fences below the hut and don't cross the road that goes over Thornton Bridge, you'll stay in bounds.
If you have any queries you can phone me at Letchworth 3031 (office) or Flitwich 3177 (home). Here's the key.
Good Luck,
Dick
From Walker.
1a Water Lane, Flitwich, Beds. ........................ 12th January, 1977
Dear Bill,
Of course you can arrive on a Monday and leave on a Friday.
I imagine your best route would be up the M1 coming off at the intersection leading to Newport Pagnell, then going through Wolverton and coming on to the A5 road at Stony Stratford. Go north through Stony Stratford, over the bridge crossing the Ouse and up to the traffic lights at the northern end of the town, where there is a left turn to the A422, signposted Old Stratford, Deanshanger and Buckingham.
About 3-4 miles from these lights, along the A422, there is a farm entrance over a cattle grid, leading to an avenue of lime trees. Drive down this avenue, and you'll arrive at the farmhouse. Either Mr or Mrs Edmundson at the farm will tell you it it is safe to drive down to the hut and if so, which was to go. It's tricky to get the car down if the ground is wet, because of the slope.
Here is a map showing the fishery and adjacent land.
There are no rules, fish how you like and do what you like with what you catch. You'll need Anglian Water Authority licenses.
At the back of the hut, underneath, there's a gate-valve which you should find turned off. Turn it on to get water in the tap in the sink, then off before you leave. The water seems rusty when first turned on, but clears after running for a bit.
It's best to empty the Elsan when you arrive, put some water and chemical in it, leave it when you go, don't empty it then. By the time the next visitors arrive, the chemical should have done its stuff and only liquid is left to empty. You do the emptying in the hedge behind the hut.
Open the door and all the windows as soon as you arrive and don't smoke or strike lights. The gas should have been turned off at the cylinders at the back of the hut, and at all gas taps in the hut, but in case some twit left gas escaping, it is best to proceed as above, because it is hard to catch those big chub if your head has been blown off.
Don't burn your tackle if you don't catch big chub. It's only fair to warn you that they are pretty difficult to catch, and it takes most people more than one visit to succeed. It did me, I can tell you! If you aren't successful, you can always come again.
The only other parties who have booked so far, have chosen 8, 9th and 10th July, and another for some time in August, dates haven't been confirmed.
Remind me nearer the date you choose to send you the hut key. If I were you I'd try to come as early in the new season as I could manage.
Sincerely,
Richard Walker (Dick)
----------------------------------------
1a Water Lane, Flitwich, Beds. ........................ June 10th, 1977
Dear Bill.
The Ouse was in a marvellous condition when I went to have a look at it about 10 days ago, plenty of water coming down, crystal clear and far less rubbish than usual at this time. We had a tremendous flushed down it in the winter, which seems to have shifted a lot of old reeds.
There is no shortage of chub, I counted over 50 in 100 yards mostly between 2 and 4 pounds, but, five or six I saw would be 5 pounds or more, and one looked nearer 7 then six.
I also saw three shoals of pretty fair roach around the pound with one or two bigger bigger ones, I wouldn't guarantee that anywhere as big as 2 pounds, but if not they weren't far short of it. The usual bream shoals were there too, one at the bottom end of the fishery, about half a dozen 6 pounders and the other at the top end of the middle Meadow, about 15 fish between 5 and 7 pounds. I saw far fewer dace than usual and even fewer minnows, which is a blessing to anyone after roach.
There will be only one other angler fishing between the 16th June and the 20th when you arrive and that's me, so you won't find the fish heavily hammered. I only want to catch one or two, to get a few photographs.
If you can get hold of some black slugs before you come, do. You can feed them up up on cabbage or lettuce leaves. Also having witnessed the bank erosion that happened in the winter I guess those chub would be very eager to be offered a big fat worm, bigger the better.
I'll do my best to remember to leave a beta light float in one of the drawers of the sideboard in the hut, so you can try float fishing after dark, if you like. There are one or two swims that are now sufficiently open to make float fishing defiantly possible. Probably most of your daytime fishing will be free-lining or very light ledger, with a beta light float after dark can be deadly for chub, roach or bream.
I cant remember if I gave you full directions for finding the hut, but I assume you will be coming up the M1 or the old A5. If the M1, set off where it says NEWPORT PAGNELL and follow the signposts to WOLVERTON and STONY STRATFORD. On approaching STONY STRATFORD, you will find it is now by-passed, so look for TOWCESTER signposts. You want to arrive at the traffic lights where the A508 NORTHAMPTON road and the A422 Buckingham road joins the A5. Look on the map. You arrive at the same junction and lights if you come up the old A5. Here you turn left along the A422 for about 3 1/4 miles, looking out for an entrance over a cattle grid, down an avenue of lime trees.
This is Little Hill Farm, ask Mr or Mrs Edmondson at the farm, which track to take down to the hut, and watch your car springs, when you go over either of the canal bridges! I usually turf out and passengers and go over very, very, very slowly!
I hesitate to mention this, but a lot of chocolates for Mrs Edmundson and her children might help to pave the way, just in case you get stuck and had to ask for help to get the car out. Don't worry that very seldom happens, but in the event of continuous heavy rain, it isn't entirely impossible.
We have sorted out the hut and fixed a Hampshire gate, which can be detached to let you car into the enclosed grounds of the hut, so it is safe from cattle. In case you arn't familiar with Hampshire gates, I'd better explain that they are simply detachable sections of barbed wire fences, fixed at one end, but with wire loops to attach and detach the other end.
Don't forget the toilet paper!
Pissing off the hut porch is strictly forbidden, unless it is raining enough to wash it away!
Don't be alarmed when you first sight the hut, it looks like a small warehouse at 400 yards, but grows as you get nearer. You can't miss it, it has a light tiled roof with a weathercock on the facet. The weathercock is fixed to indicate a SW wind, the best wind for fishing. There are trees and bushes around one side.
The fishery rules are not very complicated, in fact there's only one.
Do what you'd do, if it were your own fishery and your own hut.
Did I tell you that you need an Anglian Water Authority rod licence?
I hope to get over one evening while your there if possible.
If by some misfortune you run out of calor gas, get a new cylinder from Chipperfields, the ironmongers on the west side of Stony Stratford High Street, and tell them to charge it to my account and that its for the fishing hut at Little Farm Hill. I've had an account with them for about 20 years, so they know all about us. Same for any other items you might just possibly need, such as gas mantels or Elsan fluid. You should find enough of everything, but if not, you know what to do.
The fishing goes from Thornton Bridge, down to the end of the third field, where there's a notice board saying "Beachampton Angling Club". The hut is just inside the third meadow, so if you cross no fences below the hut and don't cross the road that goes over Thornton Bridge, you'll stay in bounds.
If you have any queries you can phone me at Letchworth 3031 (office) or Flitwich 3177 (home). Here's the key.
Good Luck,
Dick