Scarborough Mere facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Scarborough Mere |
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Southern end of Scarborough Mere
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 Scarborough Mere
Location in North Yorkshire
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| Location | Scarborough, North Yorkshire, England |
| Coordinates | 54°15′35″N 0°24′40″W / 54.25972°N 0.41111°W |
| Type | lake |
| Surface area | 16 acres (6.5 ha) |
Scarborough Mere is a natural lake located in the Weaponness Valley, near Scarborough, North Yorkshire, England. It's a peaceful spot with a long and interesting history.
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Discovering Scarborough Mere
Scarborough Mere used to be much larger, covering about 40 acres (16 hectares). But in 1845, a big change happened. A railway line from York to Scarborough was built right through the middle of the lake. This, along with other changes like draining parts of the area and shaping the land, made the lake shrink. Today, it's about 16 acres (6.5 hectares) in size.
A Popular Spot in the Past
In the 20th century, Scarborough Mere was a very popular place for tourists to visit. The local council, Scarborough Corporation, owned it. Visitors could enjoy rowing boats on the water, grab a snack at the café, or play a round of putting on the green.
One of the most exciting attractions was a miniature Spanish galleon, a type of old sailing ship, named the Hispaniola. This little ship would take people on trips across the Mere to a place called 'Treasure Island'. There, holidaymakers could pretend to be pirates and dig for doubloons, which are old Spanish gold coins!
However, over time, less work was done to keep the lake clean and clear. The bottom of the lake started to fill up with silt (fine dirt) and weeds grew thicker. Because of this, it became difficult to do water activities, and eventually, they had to stop.
What is it Like Today?
Today, Scarborough Mere is part of the Oliver's Mount Country Park. It's managed by the Scarborough Mere Angling Club and is mainly used as a fishing lake. If you visit the southern end of the lake, you might also see people enjoying waterskiing.
An Old Name for the Mere
An old map from 1766, made by Thomas Bowen and published in The Gentleman's Magazine, shows Scarborough Mere with a different name. On that map, it was called "Byard's Lake."
