Finnish Frivolity | Fritton Lake
Last weekend, Calum and myself (jack) headed north from a less-restricted london, now finally coming around from its covid hangover….
We were on our way to the long two-mile Fritton Lake, which has become the freshwater centrepiece for a massive rewilding project, restoring wildlife to the local area along the Norfolk/Suffolk border. What we found, after riding the train over the Norfolk Broads and whipping off our masks with glee, like the oxygen-starved urbanites we’ve become, was a natural getaway we’d been waiting for. They describe it as a ‘true antidote to the fast-paced modern living’, and it is that! It might be exclusive and more restricted than the wider wild swimming community would like, but for the members, holidaymakers and cabin owners who pay for access to this place, it is a veritable sanctuary. Sprawling woodland, meadows, and, of course, that dive-ready lake at the heart of the club. Luxury cabin retreats are scattered among the trees on all sides of the family-run holiday club. They have the usual amenities you might expect from a members’ club - pristine tennis courts, a swimming pool plucked from idle swimmer-dreams and all the fresh towels you could ever use.
It isn’t all about kicking back like rural royalty though! Guests are encouraged to join the re-wilding team to learn from and to improve the natural ecosystem. So far, the thousand-acre rewilding project seems to have been a great success. They currently have water buffalo and big black pigs roaming the lake edge, as well as many other free-roaming animals - not to mention exciting (yet heavily obstacled) plans to bring back beavers and pelicans to the area. Luckily, beavers are apparently quite lazy and more inclinced to sticking in one spot, so fencing is less of an issue. The East Anglian John Hammond behind a lot of this work is a charming and passionate ex-farmer turned rewilding pioneer, called Hugh. When we weren’t doing as the Finnish do, piling into the wood-fired floating sauna and then hurling our sweaty selves into the cool lake, Hugh kindly took us on a boat across Fritton Lake to show us some of the work he has been doing with WildEast.
On the wilder side of the lake, we hopped into a rickety, big-wheeled vehicle that encouraged a few more Jurassic Park comparisons. We then proceeded to embark on a safari across the estate to check out the fecund habitat being restored by @wildeastuk. It was an incredible privilege and a chance to see the huge steps they’ve made in making the region one of the biggest, most connected and best restored nature reserves in the world.
WildEast has an ambitious mission, which is grand in scope and propelled by passionate free-thinkers who are deeply connected to the area. Their conservation projects are deeply inspiring and proving already to be having a positive impact in rewilding a little place in the hearts of anyone who travels there.
Learn more about this place of incredible natural beauty
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