Lakeside Nature Reserve, Nature reserve in Church End, Finchley, United Kingdom
Lakeside Nature Reserve is a nature reserve located near Finchley featuring a pond with a fountain and a small island in the center. The water body is surrounded by a belt of trees that shelter waterfowl, dragonflies, fish, frogs, toads, and terrapins.
The pond was created in the 1890s by Peter Edmund Kay to serve as a water reservoir for the Claigmar Vineyard market garden's commercial greenhouses. Over time, it transformed from an agricultural facility into a protected natural space.
The reserve serves as a place where local schools and nature enthusiasts can study and observe native plants such as water mint and purple loosestrife. It functions as an informal outdoor classroom for understanding the local ecosystem.
The reserve is privately owned, but visitors can view the pond and fountain from public footpaths running along Strathmore Gardens. Walking at a leisurely pace lets you observe wildlife comfortably without disturbing the animals.
The site began as a water storage facility for a vineyard and market garden operation, not as a nature reserve by design. This surprising history reveals how functional human infrastructure can naturally evolve into valuable wildlife habitat.
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