The Engine Pool, Terry's Pool and Windmill Pool at Earlswood Lakes

A visit to Earlswood Lakes near Solihull in June 2020. Built as canal feeder reservoirs for the Stratford-on-Avon Canal, they are within the Stratford-on-Avon District of Warwickshire. Three pools including the Engine Pool, Terry's Pool and Windmill Pool. Built in the 1820s. Also here is the Earlswood Engine House built in 1821 to pump water to the canal. Good for walks.

Earlswood Lakes

A visit to Earlswood Lakes for a morning walk on the 8th June 2020. I'd never been here before as The Lakes Station on the Shakespeare Line is a request stop, so hadn't got around to going here (I had previous got a train to Earlswood Station and gone to Earlswood Garden & Landscape Centre but no further). Ended up going in the car. The car park on Wood Lane were open again and is a good starting point for a walk around the lakes.

• Canal & River Trust webpage on Earlswood Lakes.
• Wikipedia page on Earlswood Lakes.

The Earlswood Lakes are three man made reservoirs built in the 1820s in Earlswood, Warwickshire to supply water to the nearby Stratford-on-Avon Canal. Which goes from Kings Norton Junction (from the Worcester & Birmingham Canal in Kings Norton) to Bancroft Basin in Stratford-upon-Avon. Construction took 5 years and some of the labour force included prisoners of war from the Napoleonic Wars. Being that it was so close to Birmingham, the lakes was popular from visitors from the city from the early 1900s. The Lakes Station nearby would get visitors on the Shakespeare Line from Birmingham to Stratford-upon-Avon (although today it is a request stop). Is about a 15 minute walk away. The car park at Earlswood Lakes is free.

There is three pools here, the Engine Pool, Terry's Pool and the Windmill Pool. There is also the Grade II listed Engine House next to the Engine Pool. The lakes are good for walking, fishing and sailing. You would find a variety of wildlife here, plus there is also a nearby Craft Centre.

 

The walk we did was started around the Engine Pool. Then went around Terry's Pool. Completed the second part of the Engine Pool. Then passed the Windmill Pool (but didn't go around it). Cycling around Earlswood Lakes is not currently allowed. So cyclists must stick to the main roads only.

 

Earlswood Engine House

The Engine House was built in 1821 and is a Grade II listed building. It is near the car park on Wood Lane and can also be seen from Valley Road and from the Engine Pool. It had a steam engine which pumped water from Earlswood Lakes to the nearby Stratford-on-Avon Canal. This view was over the fence from the car park.

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There was also views of the Engine House from the other side of the Engine Pool. Built of red brick, it also has a low pitched Welsh slate roof.

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This close up view of the Engine House from the Engine Pool, not far from Valley Road. I think it is no longer in use. But there is also a white plaque to the left hand side of the building.

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Engine Pool

First up a walk around the Engine Pool at Earlswood Lakes. We headed to the right, starting from the car park.

dndimg alt="Engine Pool" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Engine Pool Earlswood Lakes (June 2020) (1).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

There is a metal footbridge with a dam between the Engine Pool and Terry's Pool.

dndimg alt="Engine Pool" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Engine Pool Earlswood Lakes (June 2020) (3).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

The water in the lake had receeded quite a bit. This was only a week or so after the May heatwave had ended.

dndimg alt="Engine Pool" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Engine Pool Earlswood Lakes (June 2020) (4).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

Some parts of the Engine Pool had these old wooden decking. Some could do with repairing.

dndimg alt="Engine Pool" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Engine Pool Earlswood Lakes (June 2020) (5).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

Crossing the metal footbridge between the Engine Pool (left) and Terry's Pool (right).

dndimg alt="Engine Pool" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Engine Pool Earlswood Lakes (June 2020) (7).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

These wooden steps to the Engine Pool look broken. In need of repair.

dndimg alt="Engine Pool" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Engine Pool Earlswood Lakes (June 2020) (8).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

With the water so low at the time, people could walk on the banks of the reservoir. After the walk around Terry's Pool, we resumed the walk around the Engine Pool towards Malthouse Lane.

dndimg alt="Engine Pool" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Engine Pool Earlswood Lakes (June 2020) (10).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

Later on was crossing Malthouse Lane between the Windmill Pool (left) and the Engine Pool (right). At certain points there was bays to avoid the traffic. Also good for views of the lakes.

dndimg alt="Engine Pool" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Engine Pool Earlswood Lakes (June 2020) (12).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

The only place cyclists are allowed to ride on was on the main roads. Currently cyclists can not ride their bikes around the paths around the lakes. But on Malthouse Lane it is fine as that is a road. Also has a pair of double yellow lines. On the right was a viewing area of the Engine Pool with a bench.

dndimg alt="Engine Pool" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Engine Pool Earlswood Lakes (June 2020) (13).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

From the section along Valley Road, looking back at the side of the Engine Pool alongside Malthouse Lane.

dndimg alt="Engine Pool" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Engine Pool Earlswood Lakes (June 2020) (15).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

It was all so peaceful going around the lakes. Other than the traffic on the roads.

dndimg alt="Engine Pool" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Engine Pool Earlswood Lakes (June 2020) (16).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

Near the end of the Engine Pool walk and back to the car park.

dndimg alt="Engine Pool" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Engine Pool Earlswood Lakes (June 2020) (17).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

Terry's Pool

The walk around Terry's Pool was more covered by trees, so harder to see the lake. Also the path would be rougher than around the Engine Pool. Here was the view just before the metal bridge that splits the Engine Pool from Terry's Pool.

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With trees covering most of the Terry's Pool walk it was hard to see the pool, but there was some spots. And you could see some of the birds flying around here.

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We went around Terry's Pool in a clockwise direction.

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More of the same with the trees making reflections in the pool.

dndimg alt="Terry's Pool" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Terrys Pool Earlswood Lakes (June 2020) (5).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

When going around you hardly realise that you have gone around it.

dndimg alt="Terry's Pool" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Terrys Pool Earlswood Lakes (June 2020) (7).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

Some trees like this one was growing out of the pool!

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Another tree covered view.

dndimg alt="Terry's Pool" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Terrys Pool Earlswood Lakes (June 2020) (10).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

Here a tree branch slightly blocks the view of the pool here.

dndimg alt="Terry's Pool" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Terrys Pool Earlswood Lakes (June 2020) (11).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

That could be the same tree in the pool, but seen from the other side.

dndimg alt="Terry's Pool" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Terrys Pool Earlswood Lakes (June 2020) (12).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

Near the end of the Terry's Pool walk.

dndimg alt="Terry's Pool" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Terrys Pool Earlswood Lakes (June 2020) (13).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

And with the metal bridge in view it would soon be time to cross it again to walk around the second half of the Engine Pool.

dndimg alt="Terry's Pool" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Terrys Pool Earlswood Lakes (June 2020) (14).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

It was even possible to see Malthouse Lane in the distance beyond the metal bridge.

dndimg alt="Terry's Pool" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Terrys Pool Earlswood Lakes (June 2020) (15).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

Windmill Pool

No walk around the Windmill Pool, just saw it from the road and bays on Malthouse Lane (opposite the Engine Pool).

dndimg alt="Windmill Pool" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Windmill Pool Earlswood Lakes (June 2020) (1).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

dndimg alt="Windmill Pool" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Windmill Pool Earlswood Lakes (June 2020) (2).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

Saw this red / white buoy / ball in the Windmill Pool. Made a nice reflection in the water.

dndimg alt="Windmill Pool" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Windmill Pool Earlswood Lakes (June 2020) (3).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

This lake stretches quite far. Wasn't sure about walking around this one, as saw a sign on the gate from when the lockdown restrictions were tougher.

dndimg alt="Windmill Pool" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Windmill Pool Earlswood Lakes (June 2020) (4).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

I would assume that the paths goes all the way around it. There are trees around at least three sides of this pool.

dndimg alt="Windmill Pool" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Windmill Pool Earlswood Lakes (June 2020) (5).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

From Malthouse Lane could see that there was another bay for observing the pool on Valley Road.

dndimg alt="Windmill Pool" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Windmill Pool Earlswood Lakes (June 2020) (6).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

This side of Malthouse Lane also had a big bay for watching the pool with benches as well. After this back around the last leg of the Engine Pool and back to the car park.

dndimg alt="Windmill Pool" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Windmill Pool Earlswood Lakes (June 2020) (7).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

Photos taken by Elliott Brown.

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