Watermead Country Park facts for kids
Watermead Country Park is a special area with many man-made lakes. It's located north of Leicester in Leicestershire, England. The park follows the path of the River Soar and the old Grand Union Canal. It stretches between the towns of Birstall to the west and Thurmaston to the east.
This park offers lots of fun activities like bird watching, fishing, and water sports. Different local councils work together to manage and care for the park.
Exploring Watermead Country Park
Watermead Country Park is home to three special areas called Local Nature Reserves. These are places where nature is protected and studied. They include Reedbed - Watermead Country Park (North), Watermead Country Park - South, and Birstall Meadows.
John Merricks Lake
The lake furthest north in the park is called John Merricks Lake. It's named after John Merricks, a famous sailor. John won a silver medal at the Olympic Games. He used to practice sailing on a nearby lake when he was a schoolboy.
King Lear's Lake
Further south, you'll find King Lear's Lake. This lake is very popular for fishing. You can walk or cycle all the way around it, making it a favorite spot for people with dogs.
On the west side of the lake, there's a cool statue. It shows a scene from King Lear, a famous play by William Shakespeare. This lake is also used by the Leicester Triathlon Club for open water swim training. Even Newfoundland Dogs use the lake for their water training!
The Mammoth Lake
As you continue south, you'll find more man-made lakes. The very last one is often called the Mammoth Lake. This is because there's a huge statue of a woolly mammoth on a small hill next to it.
From the top of the Mammoth Hill, you can see far across Leicester and the surrounding area. The Millennium Mammoth statue was built to remember something amazing. Long ago, when Watermead was a quarry, scientists found the remains of ice age mammoths there!
