On Rutland Water
England’s largest reservoir may be manmade and a busy tourist destination, but it is also a sustainability success story. Here’s why:
I was recently asked by a journalist from The Financial Times why I liked living in Rutland.
It’s for a forthcoming feature in FT Weekend and its House & Home section (my favourite Saturday newspaper, by coincidence, largely for its excellent Life & Arts and magazine extras).
I made a series of observations about life here, including a comment about Rutland being a bit like your youngest child; the small, smiley one whose happy innocence you wish you could protect from being sullied by the world’s inherent greed and environmental decline.
The journalist, who is also a leading contributor to The Sunday Times’ Best Places to Live, then asked me what I liked about living near Rutland Water as none of his other interviewees had mentioned this.
This may sound bizarre, but the question blindsided me. For anyone not resident in Rutland, living close to the shores of England’s largest reservoir which covers four square miles (3,100 acres or 1,255 ha) must seem like an obvious topic. But it left me flummoxed.
The truth is, although I love living in Rutland, I wasn’t entirely sure if I liked living near Rutland Water. At least, we rarely go now that we live close by.
Perplexed, I went away and did an unscientific straw poll of no more than five Rutland residents and found their responses to be equally ambivalent.
“Too commercial,” was the most common response, referring to the day-trippers that descend on the expansive and expensive car parks dotted around the reservoir.
It’s a bit of a running joke around here that Anglian Water, the owner and operator of the reservoir, spent years urging visitors to keep out of the water due to health risks associated with algae. Now, with an aquapark, beach and numerous events bringing in the cash, punters are actively persuaded to jump in and enjoy the fun.
But commercialisation aside, had I forgotten something? After all, it was a seven month summer sojourn in a rented thatched cottage in Hambleton, the village in the middle of the lake, while our townhouse was being extended that proved to be the catalyst for a permanent move to Rutland.
Returning to town, I missed being able to walk out into nature and listen to dawn chorus in bluebell flecked woodlands or go stargazing under dark midsummer skies. (Rutland really ought to be a protected Dark Sky Place.)
I’ve now had time to reflect on this question. And as I am writing this from Rutland Hall Hotel in a comfortable Scandi-style, glass-fronted lodge that overlooks the reservoir and which has been a much loved family holiday home for more than 15 years, I am well placed to consider my conflicted position.
Both subjective and objective, here’s my wholly unacademic analysis of Rutland Water from a sustainability perspective, attempting to assess the all-important balance of people, planet and profit, also taking into account my townie past and current country life. Here goes:
PEOPLE
Firstly, we all now realise just what a precious resource water is and so having an abundant source of water on our doorstep, supplying hundreds of thousands of homes, is important and valuable. The UK is now crying out for more reservoirs. So, this is a need-to-have.
Secondly, families from Leicester, Peterborough and surrounding towns come to Rutland Water to enjoy its green spaces and spend time together, just as we did when we lived in suburban Stamford. Two hours in nature a week is proven to reduce stress, so the wellbeing benefits of time outdoors here, whether alone or together, are significant.
Clearly, there are issues when large numbers of people descend en masse into the country, including when either ignorant or lazy dog owners allow their animals to run amok among livestock, including pregnant ewes (something I’ve witnessed). This is serious: people should learn and perpetrators punished.
But, on balance, Rutland Water’s curated green space is beneficial for large numbers of urban dwellers and this has to be a good thing.
Equally, for those who come to exercise, either walking, cycling the 23-mile perimeter path, swimming or sailing, Rutland Water is an important leisure amenity.
PLANET
While we too infrequently put an economic value on nature in the way we do with more easily cash-calculable resources, wildlife was factored into Rutland Water when it was constructed in the mid 1970s. While a large amount of land was lost, a 500-acre nature reserve was set aside, now expanded to more than double that size.
Specifically, Rutland Water is recognised as a globally important wetland and wildfowl sanctuary, sheltering 25,000 ducks, geese and swans in winter. In 2001, the Rutland Osprey Project, overseen by the Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust, celebrated the first osprey chick to fledge in Central England for 150 years.
(Note to self: go and spend time in one the reservoir’s 300 bird hides.)
PROFIT
Tourism is important to Rutland’s economy and Rutland Water plays an important role in attracting visitors. According to Discover Rutland, in 2022 there were 1.51 million visitors to the county generating an economic impact of nearly £150 million, in turn supporting 1,574 full time equivalent jobs.
Like many rural areas, farms are looking to diversify to remain sustainable and environmental tourism offers valuable opportunities to these businesses as well as the hospitality sector, which we are happily experiencing this week.
I am writing this overlooking Rutland Water in a lodge that we have been coming to for years. The joke among our children when we left for a week here was always, “Are we nearly there yet?” to which I would always reply, “Yes, not far at all now,” as I reversed off the drive at home.
Rutland Hall Hotel & Spa (formerly Barnsdale Hall Hotel) has recently been acquired by new owners and is busy with weddings. Very busy. Noise at night and fireworks are not especially welcome (as per the first three weekend nights of our stay), but you don’t wish to begrudge couples their happy day. I just hope the new owner’s vision for the resort is sympathetic and sustainable. Because while much of this wider landscape is manmade, there are aspects to what exists here that are exceedingly good and would be a shame to spoil.
Walking out early yesterday morning into the woods at Barnsdale, emerging to a view over the water to the Hambleton peninsula, the sound of a green woodpecker calling as it flashed from tree to tree, I was reminded that Rutland Water is really quite remarkable.
And while we might all crave our own personal, private Arcadia, this is something to be shared.
If anything underlines Rutland’s motto of Multum in Parvo, meaning much in little, Rutland Water is it.
Rooftop Solar
As you may have previously read (see Solar Storm) or seen on BBC East Midlands Today, myself and other residents are campaigning to prevent up to three per cent of Rutland disappearing under industrial solar farms.
Specifically, we are trying to stop Anglian Water’s proposed private development on agricultural land at Pilton and calling for solar panels to instead be placed on industrial and domestic roof tops. (By the way, solar may be cheap to run, but it comes with heavy upfront carbon costs and is frequently produced using forced Uyghur labour in China).
So I was heartened to read an excellent piece in the FT Weekend about Lyon’s push for roof top solar.
While the British seem adept at selling off vital assets and resources to private overseas owners in pitifully under-regulated markets, with an absence of joined-up thinking and long-term strategy, perhaps we can learn something from France?
Information: Rutland Solar Action Group
Rutland Open Studios
Returning to the topic of visitors coming to Rutland, it’s nearly time for Rutland Open Studios and Art Trail.
This year, artists will be opening their studios on the weekends of September 9-10, 16-17 and 23-24.
I’ve been amazed over the past couple of years just how many people come to Rutland especially for these weekends, including old friends organising mini meet-ups and reunions.
Mrs F (@tinafirkinsart) will be among the many artists whose studios will be open for viewing and demonstrations, although she will be participating for the first two weekends only.
I do hope you get to see and experience some of the extraordinary creativity at work in Rutland.
More information, visit: Rutland Open Studios
Love this breath of fresh from Rutland. Memories of My father (Leicester Water Department, Oakham) who was very involved in all aspects of reservoir’s planning in the 70’s. Thankyou
Lovely picture of Mrs. F !