A Dose Of Dozzi

JACK PERKS has become a champion of UK freshwater diving but there was a gap in his knowledge – he had never dived Dosthill. A recent sunny June day changed all that

- Jack Perks

IT’S ALL TOO EASY TO DISMISS Inland dive-sites as big holes in the ground with a few pike and the odd aircraft, but at their best they can offer some of the best diving in the UK. There are more of them than you think, too, and Dosthill in Tamworth is a hidden gem.

I pulled up at 1pm, the earliest you can get into the water on a Thursday or Friday, although there are longer opening hours over the weekend.

Known as Dozzi by its regulars, the location features beautiful cliffs and woodland overlooking the lake, with a pair of kestrels nesting on the cliff-face.

I had never dived the site before, so wasn’t sure what to expect. What struck me initially was the small size of the venue compared to other inland sites I had dived. It covers only three acres, though of course size isn’t everything.

Dozzi is the oldest inland dive-site in the UK, having operated since 1958, and it’s almost 30 years since it was taken over by current owner Ian Forster, who also owns Gildenburgh dive-centre in Peterborough.

Dosthill is well-equipped for tank refills and offers kit-hire and sales, changing spaces, hot food and drink and toilets. Staff had even been setting up a hot tub when I arrived.

Since the 2012 Olympics, a surge in interest in outdoor swimming has apparently been sustained, and swimmers often use the middle of the lake to do lengths.

Parking is close to the entry-point, so it’s easy to carry kit to the water’s edge and set up. It was June and the sun was shining brightly, which always makes a difference. I set up my D500 on one of the many benches provided near the water’s edge and started to kit up.