Finding paradise

Finding Paradise, I hear you say "there's no such place that I know of", but I think we all have our ideas of where Paradise is and for a disabled person; It must be safe and easy to get to. Now I had several waters in mind that I was going to fish, mainly because they were easy to get to; but I wouldn't have said that they were safe. Maybe one or two swims were relatively safe for a wheelchair user to fish from but in general the majority of them were downright dangerous. Also because there were so few swims that were safe to fish from I had to get their early before somebody else did. Otherwise it would be a quick return journey home as they were not specifically swims for the disabled so anyone could fish them. Now don't take this the wrong way I'm not suggesting for one moment that all lakes should be covered in signposts saying disabled anglers only as this would soon rub people up the wrong way. However, if there is a disabled swim and an able-bodied person was fishing it, it becomes very uncomfortable and awkward to ask them to move. So again, it's a journey home. Now I'm not saying that these places should have specially built platforms for disabled anglers to fish from when really all that is required is a level piece of ground and a piece of wood placed at the front of the swims to stop the front wheels of a chair from rolling over the edge. I don't feel that this is too much to ask for. but at some places it seems it is. Anyway, enough of my moaning and back to the question of Paradise.

It was many years ago and long before I became disabled that I had heard people talking about some particular lakes they said didn't contain any large or record-breaking fish but they were very picturesque, but at the time I was only looking to catch big fish so it was soon forgotten. Until one Saturday on a lovely summer's afternoon I said to Janice let us see if we can find them. She agreed, so off we went to look for them. I had a rough idea of where to look, but I didn't know exactly where they were. After a short journey to my surprise we found them. I don't know how, but we did, so we parked the car in the designated car park got my wheelchair from the boot and started to what seemed was going to be quite a journey from my car to the lakes, across a large field so you can imagine not a good start I was thinking this is hardly easy for someone in a wheelchair still, I continued with my journey until I came to what looked like the entrance which was just a large clearing through some trees. So we went through it and into what I can only describe as Paradise. now don't get me wrong in no way was this ground designed for a wheelchair to be pushed on, it wasn't level and had large tree roots protruding from it but it was manageable. As we continued, I said Janice did you hear that she replied no I didn't hear a thing, exactly, I said no cars, no motorbikes no traffic at all and then suddenly the silence was broken with a repetitive tapping sound of a woodpecker, busy at work. The whole place was a cacophony of birdsong. I had to feel my wrist to make sure I still had a pulse and that I hadn't died and gone to heaven. As we continued our journey I noticed that the majority of swims were disabled friendly . They all had pieces of wood across the front of them and either had wooden platforms fitted with chicken wire or were level.. One was a match lake and the other was for general fishing. The match lake, at a quick glance I could see that I could fish every swim and the other one, although I couldn't get round the back, still offered me plenty of options to fish so as you can imagine I was delighted; even Janice could see that I had the look of a small child on my face. After a while of looking around we heard voices and as we approached the last swim on the match lake we came across two fishermen one who happened to be fishery manager and also one hell of a character we had quite a chat and I asked him how many other wheelchair users fished there. He replied none that I know of at the moment, which left me speechless as I looked around at my surroundings in amazement . After what seemed like the best part of two hours talking to these two anglers myself and Janice headed for home. Not forgetting to get a membership for this club on the way back since that day I have spent many hours fishing these two lakes and have caught many fish. Nothing big, around nine pounds my largest catch to date but it really is the sort of place you wouldn't mind blanking as its just a pleasure to be there. They have also informed me that I can drive my car to the entrance and unload my tackle and then take the car back to the car park. Although this is not possible after periods of heavy rain. In good weather, it's a godsend. Although I shan't name the club or the whereabouts of these waters. I really feel that they have gone beyond a level required to help the disabled angler and anyone who is reading this and should happen to know the whereabouts of these lakes should understand exactly what I'm talking about. So well done for your foresight and hard work Mr Fisheries Manager and may you long continue with it.

I have been a member now for 3 - 4 years and this place is never packed to the rafters and only once have i ever heard a bite alarm sound off to which I am eternily gratefull for, as I don't believe there is a place for them at this kind of venue, the sound of the birdlife and the clutch on your reel are all that need to be heard here my friends.The variety of birdlife is truly amazing, tree creepers, nuthatches, long tailed tits, kingfishers and buzzards to name just a few and although the balliff tells me there are adders to be seen I havn't come accross any yet, just the occasional grass snake swimming by, this place is truly straight from a Jules Verne novel and I hope it stays that way.