Leeches pond
This was a pond with an island over the motorway and green bridge beside the 'posh' leech estate-we called it 'leeches pond'. I remember in the winter, in the lovely snowy winters we used to have which alas we have no more, the pond always froze. When we were 16/17 and had left school we used to play a game called 'tuggy on ice'-as in tuggy someone was'on' and had to 'tug' someone else to pass the 'on'-however the 'offs' or runners would smash a hole in the ice with their hoof heel then retreat behind the hole and antagonise the person who was on to run into the hole...and end up knee deep in the frozen lake! as there was maybe 20+ playing the game it was very difficult to remember where the 20+ holes were!It occupied our time very well! There was also a den built there which could compete with the tunnel complexes of the Vietcong!-(by a gang from the top of the estate(posh)
Incidentally, recommended reading:'the pit' by Reginald Maddock-best book I ever read at Kenton school and also like the leeches pond!
Incidentally, recommended reading:'the pit' by Reginald Maddock-best book I ever read at Kenton school and also like the leeches pond!
There was a small island in the middle of this stinking pond. I never made it to the island being a scaredy-cat but others did. They told of pirate treasures, hidden gold, birds nests with Reed warbler's eggs - all sorts of stuff which I sadly never saw or will ever see.........the pond is no more I am guessing - have not been to that area for years.
ReplyDeleteTh vietcong tunnel and den complex was as I said built by the posh kids from the top and designed by a mastermind who's name I forget. It was painstakingly constructed with a huge front room sized mainchamber with a corrigated iron roof totally concealed under peat cut from the swamplands. You accessed via a small hole leading to a tunnel which led to the main chamber(The entrance hole also cunningly camouflaged with a peat clump. I seem to recall that it was only discovered after a tractor drove over the complex and collapsed the roof, the tractor dropping into the hole and rendered useless as a tractor,and the den rendered useless as a den...
ReplyDeleteHmmm...Wonder how drained it(Leeches Pond) to built that horrible estate(Meadow Rise?)on the site...its a pity they did that...
ReplyDeleteTh vietcong tunnel and den complex was as I said built by the posh kids from the top and designed by a mastermind who's name I forget. It was painstakingly constructed with a huge front room sized mainchamber with a corrigated iron roof totally concealed under peat cut from the swamplands. You accessed via a small hole leading to a tunnel which led to the main chamber(The entrance hole also cunningly camouflaged with a peat clump. I seem to recall that it was only discovered after a tractor drove over the complex and collapsed the roof, the tractor dropping into the hole and rendered useless as a tractor,and the den rendered useless as a den...
ReplyDelete