From September to November, the National Trust Cymru is delighted to welcome very special guests to the Blue Lagoon in Pembrokeshire.

In recent years, an increasing number of gray seals breed in and around the lagoon and spotting them is an exciting encounter with wildlife that many visitors will not forget. However, the combination of the high number of visitors to Blue Lagoons and its sheltered nature that makes it so attractive to seals, creates a situation where there is a high potential for disturbance for seals.

The time seals spend resting on land is vital to their health and that of their young, as they digest a recent meal, socialize and feed their young. In order to provide them with a safe environment to raise their puppies, National Trust Cymru will close the Blue Lagoon to visitors from From September 25 to November 5.

Visitors will still be able to observe these wild creatures in their habitat from the coastal path, and coasting trade providers who have signed the National Trust Coasting Trade Agreement and received specific training on how to operate around seals, will have always access to the lagoon with groups of visitors having booked in advance.

Mark Underhill, campaign manager for National Trust Cymru, Pembrokeshire, said:

“There are two species of seals that can be found in Britain; harbor seals and gray seals. Only gray seals are present regularly in Pembrokeshire, where they are present all year round.

“About half of the world’s gray seal population breeds on our coastline and the total number in West Wales, mainly Pembrokeshire, is estimated at around 5,000, with some 1,400 puppies born each year.

“The breeding season is vital for our seal colonies here in Pembrokeshire, and we ask visitors not to enter the Blue Lagoon and to follow the guidelines set out by the Seal Alliance and the Pembrokeshire Marine Code when they are on the coastal path. “

Paul Renfro of the Pembrokeshire Coastal Forum says;

“The Pembrokeshire Marine Code recommends staying at least 50 meters from seals, although they can be disturbed at any distance, so it’s important to be responsive to their behavior.

“If a seal at rest looks up or turns to look at you, then you are close enough no matter how far away you are. Seals can be particularly sensitive to disturbance after periods of stormy weather and during the breeding season, so we recommend that you give them more space at these times.

To avoid disturbing the seals at this very important time of year, National Trust Cymru recommends the following strategies:

1. Sssh, keep quiet:
   Channel your inner David Attenborough and speak in a low voice and encourage your children to do the same. Loud dogs can scare off seals, so if your furry friend is a bit talkative, leave them at home when visiting a seal breeding area.
2. Don’t get too close:
   Make sure you stay at least 50 meters away from the seals (three London buses long) and never get between a seal and her cub, or a seal and the sea. This will cause distress to both mother and mother. to the puppy.
3. Keep dogs on a short leash:
   Keep your dog on a short leash. Do not let them run free or play with balls, frisbees or sticks near a breeding colony, as this will cause them distress.

What to do if you spot a seal in distress:

• If you see a solitary baby seal on a beach, it is probably not in distress. Baby seals are often left alone on the beach while their mothers go to get dinner.
• Never go near the seal. This will cause further distress and may be dangerous to you and the Seal.
• Look to see how many people there are approx. In most cases, when seals are in distress, it is due to contact with curious and well-meaning visitors.
• If you are still concerned, contact the Welsh Marine Life Rescue Conservation Group 01646 692943 or 07970 285086 who will be able to offer you further advice.

Now a petition has been launched to register opposition to the proposals and preserve the lagoon for future generations.

Jennifer Mullins, who started the petition, said, “Not only is it a great place to walk that is good for physical and mental health, but also inhabits and attracts lots of wildlife. Many people come to the Blue Lagoon to appreciate this hidden gem, especially in good weather. ”

Blue Lagoon Heritage Ltd, a consortium, first took possession of the reservoir under an agreement valued at £ 50,000 in September 2010. The lagoon had been drained by the previous owner, Belmont Holdings, in May in order to avoid being penalized by the Environment Agency, but it quickly filled with rainwater.

The consortium’s proposals to fill the lagoon were first addressed after it emerged that the cost of upgrading the reservoir to modern safety standards, as defined by the 1975 Reservoir Act, could cost up to to £ 1million.

North Turton Parish Councilor Keith Harrison said plans could see part of the body of water fill up, while the land surrounding it is converted into a fishing lodge.

But residents of Belmont, as well as visitors from further afield were dismayed at the loss of the reservoir, as the level of work required could also mean a lot of disruption for those living nearby, with Cllr Harrison having estimated that it could take 10,000 trucks of quarry material traveling along Church Street.

Ms Mullins said: “Many seniors who grew up in Belmont have fond memories of playing there with their friends and are saddened and outraged at the thought of his passing. I have seen this grief and discouragement firsthand.

The plans are expected to first be reviewed by the Environment Agency and Blackburn with Darwen City Council. The petition is available at www.change.org/p/blue-lagoon-heritage-ltd-save-the-belmont-blue-lagoon

Now a petition has been launched to register the opposition of the local population to the proposals and preserve the lagoon for future generations.

Jennifer Mullins, who started the petition, said: “Not only is it a beautiful place to walk that is good for physical and mental health, but also inhabits and attracts lots of wildlife.

“A lot of people come to the Blue Lagoon to appreciate this hidden gem, especially in good weather.”

Horwich-based consortium Blue Lagoon Heritage Ltd first took possession of the reservoir in a deal valued at £ 50,000 in September 2010.

The lagoon had been drained by the previous owner, Belmont Holdings, in May to avoid being penalized by the Environment Agency, but it quickly filled with rainwater.

The consortium’s proposals to fill the lagoon were first addressed after the owner of the lagoon, a Horwich-based consortium known as Blue Lagoon Heritage Ltd, learned that the cost of upgrading the vessel to modern safety standards. tank, as defined by the 1975 Tanks Act, could cost up to £ 1million.

North Turton Parish Councilor Keith Harrison said plans could see part of the body of water fill up, while the land surrounding it is converted into a fishing lodge.

However, the residents of Belmont, as well as visitors from further afield, have been dismayed that the reservoir will eventually be lost, as the level of work required could also mean a lot of disruption for those living nearby, Cllr Harrison l ‘having estimated could transport up to 10,000 trucks of quarry materials traveling along Church Street.

Ms Mullins said: “Many seniors who grew up in Belmont have fond memories of playing there with their friends and are saddened and outraged at the prospect of his passing.

“I saw this heartache and discouragement in church today from an elderly man who was born and raised in Belmont and it was extremely sad to see.”

The proposals will have to go through several stages if they are to be realized, including the Environment Agency and Blackburn with Darwen City Council.

The petition is available at: www.change.org/p/blue-lagoon-heritage-ltd-save-the-belmont-blue-lagoon.

However, the combination of the high number of visitors to Blue Lagoons and its sheltered nature that makes it so attractive to seals, creates a situation where there is a high potential for disturbance for seals.

The time seals spend resting on land is vital to their health and that of their young, as they digest a recent meal, socialize and feed their young.

Closure of the Blue Lagoon

In order to provide them with a safe environment to raise their puppies, the National Trust Cymru will be closing the Blue Lagoon to visitors from September 25 to November 5.

Visitors will still be able to observe these wild creatures in their habitat from the coastal path, and coasting trade providers who have signed the National Trust Coasting Trade Agreement and received specific training on how to operate around seals, will have always access to the lagoon with groups of visitors having booked in advance.

Mark Underhill, campaign manager for the National Trust Cymru, Pembrokeshire, said: “There are two species of seals that can be found in Britain; harbor seals and gray seals. Only gray seals are present regularly in Pembrokeshire, where they are present all year round.

“About half of the world’s gray seal population breeds on our coastline and the total number in West Wales, mainly Pembrokeshire, is estimated at around 5,000, with some 1,400 puppies born each year.

“The breeding season is vital for our seal colonies here in Pembrokeshire, and we ask visitors not to enter the Blue Lagoon and to follow the guidelines set out by the Seal Alliance and the Pembrokeshire Marine Code when they are on the coastal path. ”

Paul Renfro of the Pembrokeshire Coastal Forum said: “The Pembrokeshire Marine Code recommends staying at least 50 meters from seals, although they can be disturbed at any distance, so it is important to react to their behavior.

“If a resting seal looks up or turns to look at you, then you are close enough no matter how far away you are. Seals can be particularly sensitive to disturbance after periods of stormy weather and during the breeding season, so we recommend that you give them more space at these times.

How to avoid disturbing seals

To avoid disturbing the seals at this very important time of year, National Trust Cymru recommends the following strategies:

1. Sssh, keep calm: channel your inner David Attenborough and speak quietly and encourage your kids to do the same. Loud dogs can scare off seals, so if your furry friend is a bit talkative, leave them at home when visiting a seal breeding area.
2. Don’t get too close: make sure you stay at least 50 meters from the seals (three London buses in length) and never get between a seal and its calf, or a seal and the sea. both mother and puppy.
3. Keep Dogs On A Short Leash: Keep your dog on a short leash. Do not let them run or play with balls, frisbees or sticks near a breeding colony, as this will cause them distress.

What to do if you see a seal in distress

• If you see a solitary baby seal on a beach, it is probably not in distress. Baby seals are often left alone on the beach while their mothers go to get dinner.
• Never go near the seal. This will cause further distress and may be dangerous to you and the Seal.
• Look to see how many people there are approx. In most cases, when seals are in distress, it is due to contact with curious and well-meaning visitors.
• If you are still concerned, contact the Welsh Marine Life Rescue Conservation Group 01646 692943 or 07970 285086 who will be able to offer you further advice.

It is both beautiful and dangerous.

Wildlife thrives there, but lives have been lost in its freezing depths.

The Blue Lagoon at Belmont, just north of Bolton, sits alongside spectacular moorland.

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It is well known to walkers and is a short distance from the popular Black Dog Pub on Church Street.

Also known as Ward’s Reservoir, work on its construction began in the early 1800s.

It was a source of hydraulic power for the Belmont bleaching and dyeing plants.

But its 200-year-old dam wall is no longer strong enough to withstand the force of a hut full of 150,000 cubic meters of water.

There is potentially a risk of violation.

The solution envisaged by its owners, however, is controversial.

Blue Lagoon Heritage Ltd, based in Bromsgrove, first took possession of the reservoir under a deal valued at £ 50,000 in September 2010. The company also owns surrounding land.

In order to keep the reservoir safe, they performed essential work including pumping concrete into the slipway to strengthen it to avoid a mini version of the Whaley Bridge reservoir emergency.

More than 1,500 people were evacuated from the city of Derbyshire in August 2019 when torrential rains raised fears the Toddbrook Reservoir dam wall would collapse, causing major flooding. The repairs will cost around £ 16million.

Another safety measure at the Blue Lagoon is that water levels are managed to keep them low with valves set to the maximum drain position. The levels were low this weekend.

North Turton Parish Council member Keith Harrison said: “To keep the tank as it is and safe and in order to meet safety standards under the Tanks Act 1975, approximately 1 million pounds sterling should be spent on improvements.

“It won’t happen. But the owner has two options – one is to deal with the dam failure, to let the lagoon drain and the land to return to nature.

“The second option, which he prefers, is to fill the lagoon basin with several thousand cubic meters of inert rubble.

“Visually you would have the same view but the depth of the reservoir would be considerably reduced. In its deepest parts it is currently around 25 meters.

“The rubble to backfill it would come from the quarries. It would cost the owner nothing because the quarries need an outlet for such material and they would deliver it for free.

Councilor Harrison said it was estimated that ten thousand truckloads of quarry material would be needed.

“People are very agitated by the disruption of our quality of life. I fully understand that. The big story will be once the planning application is made in Blackburn with Darwen Council. traffic and major highways. “

An accommodation application should be filed within the next eight to ten weeks.

“People have suggested that the Chinook helicopters could bring the material, but I don’t see enough material available,” Councilor Harrison added.

“Our concern is what the end game is. The owner talks about turning it into a fishing lodge. It seems plausible as there has been a surge in interests like fishing, especially during the lockdown. am not a fisherman, but I do know that fish do not survive in a meter of water. “

In addition to having the Blue Lagoon, the owners have property and building interests and the local community is concerned that the site will be developed for the long term.

“In an ideal world, I would like the filling to be done and the reservoir to become a place of beauty again, but with no prospect of 10,000 heavy truck journeys through the village. But it seems like a utopian ideal that does not exist.

The lagoon is located in the West Pennine Moors, just inside Lancashire, and is a natural refuge for birds and other wildlife.

Previously, an urban planning request had been filed for a restaurant to be built on land overlooking it, but the authorization was refused.

The reservoir has been a fatal attraction for swimmers.

A brave passer-by dived to rescue a teenager who had had difficulty swimming in the water in June of this year.

In 2007, a father from Salford drowned after rescuing his son from the deep.

He was in an inflatable boat with his son when they fell into the water at a depth of 40 feet.

The father clung to the seven-year-old while shouting for help and three young men walking past jumped up. They swam 20 meters to the stranded pair and were able to grab the child and head for the bank. When they looked back there was no sign of her father.

The same year, a 17-year-old boy from Chorley also drowned there.

The Environment Agency should be consulted on any proposal to refill the reservoir.

Councilor Harrison said doing nothing was not an option.

He said: “The construction of the reservoir is 200 years old. It is too great a risk for the dam wall to have up to 150,000 tons of pressure against it when it is very full. Its construction started around 1803 and it was completed in the 1820s.

“You can’t expect the valve gear to be as efficient as it was when it was built. There are also trees and vegetation growing on the embankment.

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Ward Reservoir – or the Blue Lagoon as it’s known locally – is where Belmont’s public trails 47 and 48 pass, and it’s a popular beauty spot for local residents and visitors alike.

Blackburn with executive member of Darwen for Growth and Development, Cllr Phil Riley, said: “It’s fantastic to see this walkway restored so residents and visitors can enjoy a walk through Ward Reservoir. .

“Thank you to our Environment team for their determination, who have worked hard to find long-term solutions to the complex land ownership and maintenance issues that have rendered this bridge out of service.

“Thank you to our project partners Belmont Village Residents Association, United Utilities and Peak and Northern Footpath Society.

“We can now enjoy the Blue Lagoon for years to come. ”

The history of the site is complex. Some time before 1956, a structure was altered by North West Water to help manage the inlet stream – the Great Gutte – which leads to the reservoir.

There is a public right-of-way crossing the stream via a small bridge, as shown in the photo below, which provides pedestrians with a circular route from the reservoir.

But this structure was replaced by North West Water when they modified the Great Gutte, which also took possession of the bridge.

Funding for the footbridge forced Blackburn and Darwen’s council to adopt the bridge, undertake future maintenance, and repair a landslide on another part of the road at their own expense.

Over the years, the land changed ownership and the original structure and bridge fell into disrepair, becoming unsafe and unusable.

Since those who walked in the area could not cross using the bridge, people often waited until the water level was low enough to come down and around the bottom.

Despite numerous requests from Lancashire County Council, Blackburn with Darwen Council, local councilors and residents, the owners of the land failed to maintain the old bridge, leaving the local community and all trail users down audiences in the region.

In 1990 Lancashire County Council, using its overall responsibility for trails in the borough, was forced to notify the owner of the land and then remove the dangerous bridge.

Subsequently, the bridge being removed, the public could still cross the Grande Gutte only on days when the water level was low.

In 2019, the Belmont Village Residents Association (BVRA) secured funding for a new bridge from the Peak and Northern Footpaths Society (PNFS).

Terms of the funding required Blackburn and Darwen’s council to adopt the bridge, undertake future maintenance, and repair a landslide on another part of the road at their own expense.

The restored bridge

In March 2020, the council appointed a local contractor, Sancus Civil Engineering, to undertake the construction of the bridge and landslide.

As the bridge is on a popular local site of natural beauty and the contractor has a personal connection to it, a low bid was submitted to win the work.

While completing the job, the contractor even undertook additional work at no additional cost to the board, a matter of pride for the area and community served by the bridge.

The restored bridge

To allow nature lovers to better enjoy the area, United Utilities currently provides parking to the west of the course, and a concealed path from the parking lot to the reservoir.

A spokesperson for the Peak and Northern Footpaths Society said: “The society is proud to have helped Blackburn and Darwen’s council find a solution that will allow locals and visitors to enjoy the circular walk around the reservoir. ”