K
Keith Woodley
Guest
I recently went for four days fishing at Orchid Lakes. After reading the reports of the lake and how nice "Marshy" was, I couldn't wait to arrive.
The day before, we phoned the lake to ask if it would be OK to arrive at about 8 o'clock in the evening. We were told that this would be no problem and to phone if we have trouble finding it.
After following the directions to the letter we weren't at the lake, so we phoned on a mobile. Shortly after directions were given we arrived, the time was 8:20pm. The owner, Marsh Pratley, met us and took us through the rules. He also said that he couldn't drive us to our swims as we were too late, and that he had had a long day. Three of the four of us that went had just spent 10 hours working in a meat factory before driving for over 2 hours from near Cambridge. It was not too late for him to take ?280 from the four of us, however.
My Dad, Vic, asked if we could drive ourselves round to the swims along the hard stone road that runs around the entire lake, and then return our cars to the car park. We were told we couldn't and that only the owner was allowed to because he owned it and it was his rule!
Fair enough we thought. We setup in the Alamo (the nearest swim), with the intentions of moving the next day.
In the morning my girlfriend and I moved to another swim. My Dad asked the owner to drive his gear around to his selected swim, which he did... for the cost of ?1! Now, although one pound isn't any amount of money, the ?280 we had given him the previous night was. I feel this is an absolute insult. Futhermore, the cost of having a shower is also ?1. Fair enough you may think, until the shower cuts out after 10 minutes and then another token is needed, for another pound.
It seems to me that you need to either be a regular customer, or a camo'd up super-serious-win-at-all-costs-forget-everyone-else type of angler.
Whenever I have been fishing at a large lake, (Orchid is 17.9 acres), I always take a bike to get to the facilities as this saves time and sometimes a long trek. This time we took my girlfriends bike as she intended on going for a ride in the Oxford countryside. Whilst we were asleep, Marsh Pratley arrived at my Dad's swim and asked who's the bike propped against a tree was. After telling him who owned the bike, my Dad was told: No vehicles allowed, it will be put in the lodge.
With that he put the bike into the back of his van and, technically, stole it. Later when I went to retrieve the bike I asked why it was taken. From his wife I was told only Marsh or the baliffs are allowed to use a vehicle around the lake. How petty can you get? It is a brand new mountain bike, not an articulated lorry.
The reports I had previously had about Orchid were good, but it seems the only people to be made welcome are his mates or people who will kiss his ass and treat him like Lord of the Manor.
I would suggest you give Orchid a wide berth whilst Marsh is there, unless you are willing to brown-tounge, are a regular camo freak or have copious amounts of money and expensive tackle. Then you'd be alright.
There is one good point to this story... Marsh Pratley is selling up!!! So if you've got ?800,000 spare buy the lake and make this the enjoyable experience that it should be.
The day before, we phoned the lake to ask if it would be OK to arrive at about 8 o'clock in the evening. We were told that this would be no problem and to phone if we have trouble finding it.
After following the directions to the letter we weren't at the lake, so we phoned on a mobile. Shortly after directions were given we arrived, the time was 8:20pm. The owner, Marsh Pratley, met us and took us through the rules. He also said that he couldn't drive us to our swims as we were too late, and that he had had a long day. Three of the four of us that went had just spent 10 hours working in a meat factory before driving for over 2 hours from near Cambridge. It was not too late for him to take ?280 from the four of us, however.
My Dad, Vic, asked if we could drive ourselves round to the swims along the hard stone road that runs around the entire lake, and then return our cars to the car park. We were told we couldn't and that only the owner was allowed to because he owned it and it was his rule!
Fair enough we thought. We setup in the Alamo (the nearest swim), with the intentions of moving the next day.
In the morning my girlfriend and I moved to another swim. My Dad asked the owner to drive his gear around to his selected swim, which he did... for the cost of ?1! Now, although one pound isn't any amount of money, the ?280 we had given him the previous night was. I feel this is an absolute insult. Futhermore, the cost of having a shower is also ?1. Fair enough you may think, until the shower cuts out after 10 minutes and then another token is needed, for another pound.
It seems to me that you need to either be a regular customer, or a camo'd up super-serious-win-at-all-costs-forget-everyone-else type of angler.
Whenever I have been fishing at a large lake, (Orchid is 17.9 acres), I always take a bike to get to the facilities as this saves time and sometimes a long trek. This time we took my girlfriends bike as she intended on going for a ride in the Oxford countryside. Whilst we were asleep, Marsh Pratley arrived at my Dad's swim and asked who's the bike propped against a tree was. After telling him who owned the bike, my Dad was told: No vehicles allowed, it will be put in the lodge.
With that he put the bike into the back of his van and, technically, stole it. Later when I went to retrieve the bike I asked why it was taken. From his wife I was told only Marsh or the baliffs are allowed to use a vehicle around the lake. How petty can you get? It is a brand new mountain bike, not an articulated lorry.
The reports I had previously had about Orchid were good, but it seems the only people to be made welcome are his mates or people who will kiss his ass and treat him like Lord of the Manor.
I would suggest you give Orchid a wide berth whilst Marsh is there, unless you are willing to brown-tounge, are a regular camo freak or have copious amounts of money and expensive tackle. Then you'd be alright.
There is one good point to this story... Marsh Pratley is selling up!!! So if you've got ?800,000 spare buy the lake and make this the enjoyable experience that it should be.
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