Posted by Owen Roberts on January 19, 2010 at 10:07:57 user OwenRoberts.
This series is running on BBC 2 in the UK. Last week there was an item on Windermere. This can still be seen (if you are in the UK) as No 8 Windermere to Kendal.
For those outside the UK, points of interest were water was still dipped from the northern part of the lake to make tea. This was made in a Windermere Kettle which was heated by steam from the boiler of the SL Shamrock. The owner of the Shamrock (quoted as being the last surviving steam launch on Windermere), Roger Mallinson, said the lake was infested by moorings and marinas nowadays which spoilt the beauty somewhat.
At the southern end of the lake sewage overflows during heavy rain were polluting the lake. Algae formed and when they died and went to the bed of the lake they rotted, depriving the fish of oxygen.
A visiblity test, carried out by the Environment Agency, a black and white quartered disc at the end of a line disappeared at 6 metres. Only other lakes visibility is 20/30 metres.