Woodland Nature Trail
Stop E
This is Lake 4; a very tranquil spot. It is the smallest of the top lakes and is largely surrounded by trees. The head of the lake is now getting filled in with Reed Sweet-grass Glyceria maxima and Skunk Cabbage - from the adjacent Barnes Dell.
The lake surface is also getting covered in the small-leaved Fringed Water-lily. It is an invasive species which, left unchecked, could cover the pond. However, the small yellow flowers with fringed petals do look very attractive.
Below the dam that separates this lake from Lake 5 is a Caucasian Wing-nut Pterocarya fraxinifolia. The scientific name derives from the Ash-like leaves which are apparent in the photograph below. It is a relic of the Teriary flora on the southern flanks of the Caucasus Mountains and was introduced to France in 1784 but not until after 1800 in Britain.
