Travellers along the Meanwood Valley Trail may notice as they pass through Adel Woods, a circular pond, surrounded by trees. It is not large – perhaps only twenty five feet across – but it is the only pond in Adel Woods and, in your correspondent’s view, it is a beautiful adornment to the woods. Quite apart from its natural beauty, it is home to a thriving population of palmate newts.
If you do not know where it is, follow the Meanwood Valley Trail in either direction and you will surely come to the pond. Otherwise, enter the woods by the entrance on Buckstone Road, follow the path down through the kissing gate and at the bottom you will see a stream on your right, with a bridge leading to some steps heading upwards into the woods. Adel Pond lies in placid beauty at the top of the steps.
A stream trickles into the pond, bringing with it silt which each year blocks up the pond. In addition, sticks and logs and sometimes large stones somehow find their way into it. Friends of Adel Woods have therefore spent a morning each Autumn for several years with Steve Joul, dredging the pond and removing debris.
Today we had a good team of about a dozen, two or three litter picking around the woods, but the rest of us enjoying wet and muddy fun in the pond. This was also the opportunity for FOAW to try out our four pairs of pond gloves for the first time.
As usual, we removed many barrow loads of mud from the pond, and many large logs. We also found lots of pieces of china, presumably discarded from Verity’s tea room which used serve refreshments nearby.
Two hours of hard work left us tired but exhilarated, and the pond ready for another year of life in the woods!
A good turn out of about thirty five people, including many children, for a “tree walk” led by Steve Joul, senior countryside ranger with Leeds City Council.
Friends of Adel Woods 