Oh dear ,let just clear my view point up a bit. I wouldn't go into private land unannounced or uninvited. I actually went to just see if there was some vantage point that I could overlook the reservoir to see if a could see any ospreys when they visited in the summer. But there was not one, you could not see anything from the road. This was a commercial place of fishing as indicated by the signs, there were no signs actually saying private or indeed any signs saying come in. My deduction from Fly Fishing Club, inquiries to bailiff, name and address given and just the fact that I was only an angler making inquiries did not make me think I would not be allowed to just enter and ask a few questions and have a look. Chancing my arm a bit maybe but an angler wanting to just recce a place would be accepted by most angling venues, I have done so many times in the past and have given no offence to anyone.
However, this was fly fishing! I am a polite person, well dressed, smart casual mostly, shave every day and am never rude to anyone or about anyone, have I ever been on here. I am too well brought up. I don't have a Mohican haircut or rings in my nose. Just a reasonably well behaved polite person. I was certainly not rude in any way on this occasion.
I only entered the place because I wanted to find out if I could visit to see ospreys and the fishing maybe. After I pulled up in the car park there was the bailiffs cottage to the left, a sign saying his name and all inquiries to him, I cannot remember all what it said.
I could see where the lake was although not on view, just over the little rise next to the car park. I took a walk to the top of it and then saw 4 people sat on a little bench 30 yds. away drinking tea or something. They saw me and I thought I would walk over and just ask. I was not disturbing them really as they weren't doing anything.
Mr. officious who was standing came over to me and met me half way. I told him why I came, I was local, I did a bit of fly fishing and just wanted to have a look and find out about it. His attitude was your not welcome, My lines of snobbish, money snobbish, fly fishing only snobbish and/or class snobbish may well be blurred, no denying that but I can only give you my take on it, that's what I felt it was, your not the sort we have here. If I had rolled up in a luxury car, got out wearing a £300 Barbour or something, pulled a card out introducing myself as Lord Black, I am sure he would have been all over me. Such is my view of this exclusive type of fishing, not everywhere and you can buy into if you have the money, many don't.
The question was does snobbery exist in angling, I think it does, and do I think it is wrong. I didn't say that, my exact words were "To me there is something wrong in there somewhere; I cant quite put my finger on it, just a gut feeling.". I think that comes from seeing just another beautiful place denied me.
PS I never got round to ask about the ospreys, I got the vibe and went.
Later when viewing the website and prices just endorsed my thoughts about it. If you don't agree with that fine, it's just I speak as I find as always.
