Bowden Hall

Bowden is the most recently acquired water, formerly with South Manchester. The lake is 1.5 acres and is surrounded by woodland, and is located in Bowden Lane, Chapel-en-le Frith, Derbyshire. The location is attractive, perhaps the most picturesque of all our waters and of significant potential. Unfortunately the water had been neglected and required a significant amount of work regarding the stabilisation of pegs, control of vegetation and water level control.

The call for help from members produced a record turnout of more than thirty members on a working party in July 2009, a tremendous amount of work was undertaken. Nevertheless substantial work still needs to be undertaken in 2011, if this water's potential is to be achieved.

Directions:
The location of these waters is off the A6 (Chapel-en-le Frith bypass section). At the Chinley-Glossop roundabout, there are 2 exits one the A624,known by locals as the Ferodo exit and the other is a minor road, signed to Bowden and the one you need to take and leading onto a narrow tarmac road.

The new water is on the right hand side of this road about 600 metres from the roundabout and the entrance is through a newly painted white barred gate which is at an angle to the lane and partially obscured as you approach it from the A6, but it cannot be mistaken as it is clearly signed as a DNMAC water.

Environmental:
The issue with this water currently is that ther are areas which are too shallow having been silted up over a number of years following inadequate drainage. During the December meeting of the club various suggestions were put forward as to how this draining should be undertaken and will no doubt continue into 2011.

The photograph is of Les Maddocks from Reddish who undertook the mammoth job of digging out one of the main water inlets into the lake on the 25th July 2010 when thirty two members turned up in order to carry out work on Bowden Hall lake.Unheralded he has since visited the site by himself in order to tidy up the diggings from the drain and to paint the gate; the exercise he was carrying out when I took this picture. I was very impressed by such selflessness.

Parking: Parking is limited and on the road, so please do not block access to residential or public rights of way.
Open Times     Dawn to dusk fishing only.
Season:     Open all year. No Keepsnets unless a Bona Fide Match.
Species:     Roach & Perch to 1lb, Tench to 3lb, Bream to 3lb, Skimmers and Rudd to 12oz and Carp to 14lb. We hope to stock Crucians in 2011.
Depth:     The lake changes a lot in shape and depth with the deepest part being about 4ft in the middle. The lake is full of features and a nice place to be all year round.
Sat Nav:     SK23 0QP