The water level in the resevoir is very low and will probably stay that way for some time. The lack of substantial rain over the summer and autumn and the fact that South West Water use the water in the resevoir before low lying ones has meant the level has been falling for months. Water in the high resevoirs like Meldon and Fernworthy is used first because it needs less pumping to get it to where it’s used.
The exposed bridges and hut circles have been attracting lots of visitors in recent weeks, it’s not often that the stream under the bridge is reduced to the level it must have been before the valley was flooded.
A good deal of work has been done by SWW to improve the walk around the resevoir. Lots of Rhodedendron was cut back last year, but it’s making a comeback.
As well as lots of hut circles in the area, there is a wonderful Bronze Age burial cyst (a stone box in this case) located at SX66737 84337.
There are big flocks of Fieldfares and Redwings this Autumn, their migration from Scandinavia has probably been aided by a good blow from the East just as they made their passage. There seems to be plenty of berries for them all this year.
DNP Voluntary Warden 