Anthony Edmondson spent his life’s earnings buying a 130-acre abandoned gravel pit in the Cotswolds, south central England, in the 1980s.
asserted
Edmondson → spend → 1980s
He planted 50,000 trees, sowed wildflowers and added reeds to the water which over the years, has transformed the former industrial site into a landscape supporting birds and other wildlife.
asserted
which → plant → birds
Edmondson’s decision was influenced by his time in Canada.
asserted
decision → influence → Canada
Isabel Choat writes in The Guardian that Edmondson had worked in the silver mines of the Yukon and spent his time off staying in remote areas.
asserted
Edmondson → write → areas
When he returned to England and bought the former gravel pit, he wanted to recreate that feeling of wilderness closer to home.
asserted
he → return → home
His work eventually helped the estate gain designation as a Site of Special Scientific Interest.
asserted
estate → help → Interest
Today, the property, known as Log House Holidays, has eight holiday cabins, each with access to the lake.
asserted
property → know → lake
The site combines accommodation and outdoor activities with the wildlife habitat Edmondson created.
asserted
Edmondson → combine → habitat
How barren land changed
The property lies near Pool Keynes, on the western edge of the Cotswolds Water Park.
asserted
property → change → Park
Edmondson’s 50,000 trees, wildflowers and reeds changed the character of the former gravel pit and created habitats for a wide range of wildlife.
asserted
trees → change → wildlife
The Cotswolds is known for its rolling hills, fields, hedgerows and honey-coloured villages, but south of the Cotswolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), the landscape also contains about 170 lakes.
asserted
landscape → know → lakes
Most of these lakes were created about 50 years ago when gravel was extracted from the land.
asserted
gravel → create → land
After the pits were no longer needed, many were bought by private owners or converted into nature reserves.
asserted
many → need → reserves
The Cotswolds Water Park Trust now works to balance wildlife conservation with recreation across the area.
asserted
Trust → work → area
The lakes support wintering and breeding birds, while other parts of the wider Water Park are used for activities such as waterskiing and wakeboarding.
asserted
parts → support → waterskiing
Edmondson’s 50,000 trees, wildflowers and reeds changed the character of the former gravel pit
Land becomes retreat
asserted
Land → change → pit
The natural landscape Edmondson created also became the setting for Log House Holidays.
asserted
Edmondson → create → Holidays
Visitors reach the cabins through an avenue of spruce before arriving at the lakes and woodland.
asserted
Visitors → reach → lakes
The cabins were inspired by outback cabins in Canada but were imported from Finland.
asserted
cabins → inspire → Finland
Built with chunky logs, they have underfloor heating supplied by a water pump.
asserted
they → build → pump
Each cabin also has its own rowing boat, giving visitors direct access to the lake.
asserted
cabin → have → lake
The lake and surrounding woodland have become an important part of the visitor experience.
asserted
lake → surround → experience
During an autumn visit, the changing colours of the trees were reflected in the water.
asserted
colours → change → water
A rowing trip offered opportunities to spot wildlife, although otters reportedly seen near the cabin did not appear.
uncertain
otters → offer → cabin
A heron was instead seen flying low over the water.
asserted
heron → see → water
The lake also provided a setting for the writer’s 10-year-old son to use the rowing boat independently.
asserted
son → provide → boat
Visitors can also try activities including paddleboarding and kayaking.
asserted
Visitors → try → paddleboarding
The wider Cotswolds Water Park has a mix of quieter wildlife sites and lakes used for watersports, making the former gravel pits part of both the area's natural environment and tourism industry.
asserted
pits → have → environment
Choat describes how being surrounded by the landscape made the effect of nature particularly noticeable during the stay.
asserted
effect → describe → stay
Her family also visited nearby Cirencester when rain interrupted their outdoor plans.
asserted
rain → visit → plans
Its Corinium Museum contains Roman artefacts found in and around the area, including mosaics.
asserted
Museum → contain → mosaics
They also visited the remains of what had once been one of Britain’s largest amphitheatres.
asserted
what → visit → amphitheatres
The property is also close to Trewsbury Mead, a meadow identified as the source of the River Thames.
asserted
property → identify → Thames
The source is seasonal, meaning there may be no visible stream during dry weather.
uncertain
source → mean → weather
A large stone now marks the location.
asserted
stone → mark → location
Before it was placed there in 1974, a statue of Father Thames marked the spot.
asserted
statue → place → spot
A wooden signpost points towards the Thames Barrier, 184 miles away.
asserted
signpost → point → Barrier
The Aporia
