Hatchmere
Encyclopedia
Hatchmere is a small lake in Cheshire
, adjacent to Delamere Forest
. It is also the name of a hamlet near to the village of Norley
. Hatchmere is notable for several campaigns to maintain public access to the lake after it was bought
by the Cheshire Wildlife Trust
in 1998. Initially the Trust fenced off the only access point to the lake suitable for swimmers. A pressure group, the Friends of Hatchmere
was formed, and eventually the Wildlife Trust backed down and agreed to allow swimming in the lake.
The Hatchmere campaign was instrumental in the forming of the River and Lake Swimming Association, a group that promotes Open water swimming
in the United Kingdom
.
The mere is a good example of a kettle hole, of which there are several in the Delamere
area. Some are flooded as here whilst others are dry or contain peat
mosses. The mere originated as a detached mass of glacial ice melted in situ towards the end of the last ice age
.
Cheshire
Cheshire is a ceremonial county in North West England. Cheshire's county town is the city of Chester, although its largest town is Warrington. Other major towns include Widnes, Congleton, Crewe, Ellesmere Port, Runcorn, Macclesfield, Winsford, Northwich, and Wilmslow...
, adjacent to Delamere Forest
Delamere Forest
Delamere Forest or Delamere Forest Park is a wood in the Cheshire West and Chester area of Cheshire, England, near the town of Frodsham. It includes of mixed deciduous and evergreen woodland, centred at around , making it the largest area of woodland in Cheshire...
. It is also the name of a hamlet near to the village of Norley
Norley
thumb|right|200px|Map of civil parish of Norley within the former borough of Vale RoyalNorley is a village and civil parish in the unitary authority of Cheshire West and Chester and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. It lies to the north of Delamere Forest, near the village of Cuddington...
. Hatchmere is notable for several campaigns to maintain public access to the lake after it was bought
by the Cheshire Wildlife Trust
Cheshire Wildlife Trust
The Cheshire Wildlife Trust is a wildlife trust covering the county of Cheshire and parts of the counties of Greater Manchester and Merseyside, England...
in 1998. Initially the Trust fenced off the only access point to the lake suitable for swimmers. A pressure group, the Friends of Hatchmere
was formed, and eventually the Wildlife Trust backed down and agreed to allow swimming in the lake.
The Hatchmere campaign was instrumental in the forming of the River and Lake Swimming Association, a group that promotes Open water swimming
Open water swimming
Open water swimming takes place in outdoor bodies of water such as open oceans, bays, lakes, rivers, canals, and reservoirs.The beginning of the modern age of open water swimming is sometimes taken to be May 3, 1810, when Lord Byron swam several miles to cross the Hellespont from Europe to Asia.In...
in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
.
The mere is a good example of a kettle hole, of which there are several in the Delamere
Delamere, Cheshire
thumb|right|200px|Map of civil parish of Delamere within the former borough of Vale RoyalDelamere is a civil parish and village in Cheshire. It is situated approximately 7 miles to the west of Northwich, within the unitary authority of Cheshire West and Chester.The village is well-known for the...
area. Some are flooded as here whilst others are dry or contain peat
Peat
Peat is an accumulation of partially decayed vegetation matter or histosol. Peat forms in wetland bogs, moors, muskegs, pocosins, mires, and peat swamp forests. Peat is harvested as an important source of fuel in certain parts of the world...
mosses. The mere originated as a detached mass of glacial ice melted in situ towards the end of the last ice age
Ice age
An ice age or, more precisely, glacial age, is a generic geological period of long-term reduction in the temperature of the Earth's surface and atmosphere, resulting in the presence or expansion of continental ice sheets, polar ice sheets and alpine glaciers...
.