A Wonderful Walk in Watermead Park One Snowy Day
I thought I would share with Syston Town News readers my impressions of a walk one snowy day in February, which can sometimes be a dismal month when we are longing for spring to come. I am writing this on 11th February having just returned from Watermead Park, a bit tired but feeling heartened by the beauty I have seen this sunny morning.
I live fairly near the park, so I walked up Wanlip Road and went into the park by the canal path. By the side of the canal a heron stood against the bushes, looking slightly ‘hunched up’ which they usually do, but I couldn’t help wondering if the pose was due to the cold! As I walked into the car park the partly frozen lake glittered in the bright sunshine. I could have stood there admiring it for a long time, but feeling in need of exercise, I followed the path round the edge of the lake, catching glimpses of areas of frozen marshland looking strangely flat with a light dusting of snow on the icy surface. The willow trees were starting to show some colour and it was all so gorgeously picturesque that I felt as if I had been transported to a magic kingdom.
I continued on my way and walked all around King Lear’s Lake observing as I passed the statue of King Lear that the four figures looked as if they were floating on the water, which gave them a completely different look to normal. No sign of the ugly concrete ‘raft’ that they are normally grouped on!
Three quarters of an hour later I was back at the canal where I had entered the park. I had been transported by the beauty of the views to another place for all of that time, which was a wonderful treat in these difficult times. I feel we are lucky to have this park ‘on our doorstep’ and the park has matured very well over the last few decades.
Felicity Austin
