Hale Duck Decoy

[1] The decoy was part of the estate of Hale Hall, which had been owned by the Ireland Blackburne family since the 1600s.

[2] In February 1990 the decoy was damaged when it was flooded with salt water caused by the combination of a high tide and a north-westerly gale.

In 2004 a group of volunteers, the Friends of Pickerings Pasture, was awarded a Heritage Lottery grant to restore the gamekeeper's hut to provide further information facilities for visitors.

In 2010 the Council disbanded the Ranger service, and the management of the decoy passed to the Parks and Open Spaces department, supported by the Friends of Pickerings Pasture.

The decoy consists of a central pond with five narrowing arms (known as pipes) radiating outward, giving it the shape of a pentagon.

Between the pipes is woodland, and the whole area is surrounded by a moat 16 feet wide, which is crossed by a swing bridge.