'Fishing is a very relaxing hobby': We visit Ellerdine Lakes near Telford which attracts anglers from across the UK
For 25 years the tranquil stillwaters of Ellerdine Lakes have attracted anglers from around the country.
The fishery north of Telford is run by husband and wife team Jayne and Edward Upton with the help of their three children.
Since they started the business in September 2000, the fly fishing venue has gone from strength to strength.
It first began as a hobby – Edward is a keen fly fisher with two England Bank Fly Fishing Team caps – and a way to make use of fields on the family farm that were too waterlogged for crops.
The 20-acre site had previously been home to a large dairy herd until the animals were sold in 1998.
“The land used by the cows was too wet to farm, so after trying to drain it unsuccessfully, we decided to flood it completely,” explains Jayne.
They started with three lakes and now have four – Cranymoor, Lakemoor, Meadow and Marsh – stocked with rainbow, brown, blue, sparctic and tiger trout as well as a dedicated children’s pool with smaller fish.
“We are now one of the busiest small waters in the UK,” says Jayne.
