Policy
We will allow access to picnic sites, nature trails, footpaths and permissive paths. Access to bird hides and for special interest groups is available by permit. Historic buildings may be visited on Open Days and by arrangement.

Open days

Twenty six public open days were held during 2007 at three different sites.  These events attracted around 16,000 visitors.
Below is a summary of these events all of which were free entry.

Secret Sundays -  Blagdon Visitor Centre
29th April – 16th September (not open Aug 25th)  2-5pm

BLAGDON BEAM ENGINE AND VISITOR CENTRE

The centre is based around the magnificent Beam Engines that are housed in the  imposing gothic styled pumping station. Originally these giants used steam power to pump up to 7.5 million gallons of Blagdon Lake’s water each day to Bristol to be treated. Although two were removed in the late '40s the other two remained with one now working by electric allowing it to be run during open days. The hall has three levels allowing visitors to see the whole engine.

The boiler house behind the beam engine hall is where the large visitor centre is located.  All the rooms have different themes including demonstrations and exhibitions covering every aspect of water supply. Yesterday’s Water includes a displays on how Victorian engineers set about supplying the city of Bristol with good clean water and there is even an old medieval 'trunk main' made of elm that once took water down Park Street. The Lake Room is all about the wildlife and nature conservation around the lake and Today’s Water brings you the modern side of water treatment highlighting the technology that helps the water industry today.  Hands-on displays and touchscreens show how water is collected, treated and distributed to homes and factories, hospitals and schools in this area.

The Water Saving Room provides tips and practical advice on how to use water wisely in the home and garden and the WaterAid Room uses an African Village setting to show its work in India and Africa.

Outside there are acres of well-kept grounds to explore with many picnic tables. 
Across the spillway in Discovery Wood there is a nature trail for which there is a quiz sheet available for kids to help identify the trees and wildlife which are there in abundance.

Blagdon is famous for its trout fishing, and what were once suction tanks supplying water to the steam boilers are now used as rearing pools for the fish before they are transferred to the lake.  During the open days, visitors were able to  throw  handfuls of fish food and see the water 'boil' as hundreds of trout surge to the surface to be fed.

WaterAid Day
Blagdon Visitor Centre
Sunday 16th September
In what has become a tradition for our last Secret Sunday the theme for the day was the water industry charity WaterAid.  The day gave us the chance to explain how the poorest villages in Africa and India get their water– in many places women and children still have to walk miles every single day to fetch water in a bucket from a well!  There was a chance to have a go on a genuine village pump, like those WaterAid install in these villages. There was also an assault course for children to race through which aimed to show just how heavy and cumbersome water is to carry over even the shortest distant.

The Amazing Water-Saving Garden – Head Office, Bedminster Down
Every Friday afternoon during June
June was water-saving garden month as we opened up our own water-saving garden at our Head Office on every Friday afternoon. This delightful garden displays a profusion of colour all year round, yet in the last ten years has only ever been watered through natural rainfall and collected rainwater, even in the hottest weather! How is it done? With drought-tolerant plants and simple water-saving ways which any gardener can use. Experts were on hand to answer questions and water butt  were on sale as well. 

This was a day full of activities that encouraged everyone to get right back to nature. Nature guides took groups on a trek alongside the lake pointing out the flora and fauna around as well as doing some bird watching. A massive otter holt was constructed for children to pretend to be an otter as they crawled through, fishermen let beginners have a  go at fly casting, there was even some full grown Chew Lake trout to be seen close-up in a tank. A birds of prey display allowed visitors to hold one of these impressive birds on their hands.

TALKS AND TOURS

During the year we gave 60 talks and tours to groups, clubs and schools throughout our region. These talks covered Bristol Water’s work and history as well as the work done by the water industry  charity WaterAid. A wide range of different groups were addressed including Probus and Rotary clubs, Friendship groups,  Wildlife groups, gardening clubs and  Scout packs.  Over half of these talks were given to schools – either at the school our at our education facility at Blagdon pumping station - by our education officer specifically addressing topics on the curriculum and backed up by the education material we have developed as hand-outs to these schools.

All these talks and tours were free of charge. Many of the groups gave a donation to WaterAid as a thank you.

CHEW LAKE PICNIC AREA AND TEA SHOP

Chew Valley Lake has two large landscaped picnic areas which are open to the public all year round. There is also an information centre and teashop in picnic area no 1. Two nature trails covering a total of 2.7km - The Grebe and Bittern - are accessible from picnic area no 2. The Grebe is an all weather surface suitable for pushchairs and wheelchairs.

The Bittern Trail forms part of a nature walk on the eastern side of Chew Valley lake. It passes close to the water’s edge running through meadows, alder woodland and reed beds and part lies below top water level and is not passable in periods – usually in winter- when the lake is full.

To extend the period when the trail can be walked the low-lying sections were raised during the year. The meadow and wood part was raised as a hard gravel path but to maintain the health of the reed bed section it was necessary to allow water to flow under the trail so a raised boardwalk was constructed here. Nearly 200m of boardwalk was built and the trail now provides a dryer path with improved views over the reeds to the lake edge where ducks, grebes and other wildfowl can be seen. Another advantage is that walking the trail still gives the experience of being in the middle of a reed bed with a good chance of seeing reed and sedge warblers flitting about amongst the stems.

These facilities are used by thousands of visitors during the year.

(dogs are also permitted but must be kept on a lead. No swimming is allowed at any of Bristol Water’s Lakes)

WOODFORD LODGE

Woodford Lodge restaurant and fishing lodge was also a popular destination throughout the year. A 55 seat restaurant provides a range of menus as well as catering for group bookings and weddings. During the season the lodge is also the centre for the lake’s fishing activities including major events and competitions.

CHEDDAR RESERVOIR

The company allows public access for walks around the perimeter of Cheddar reservoir which covers a distance of just over 3.5 km. There are two free car parks available with access up to the path. In conjunction with Somerset County Council a new gate was installed at the Axbridge entrance to give improved access for disabled people.
(Dogs are also permitted but must be kept on a lead. Some further restrictions apply when sheep are grazing. No swimming is allowed at any of Bristol Water’s Lakes)

HERITAGE CONSERVATION

The Blagdon beam engines, housed in a listed pumping station, were maintained. One is still in working order running by electricity and is regularly run for visitors at open days and for school visits during the year.

BIRDWATCHING

During the year we issued 502 annual and 250 daily birdwatching permits. These allow access to the reservoir enclosures and to use the access road, paths and the seven bird hides (one of these hides is accessible from the Bittern trail and does not need a permit). These permits are only available to members of recognised ornithological and naturalist societies.