The River Aln is just a 15 minute walk from our house.  This morning Fred, Tony, Lovejoy and I all wandered down armed with a net and an old yellowing plastic tub which had been left by the previous and now deceased owner of our house.  After not very long at all we had caught several leeches, 2 caddis fly larvae, 1 stonefly larvae, at least 2 tiny mayfly larvae and some other unidentified squiggly things.  Nobody managed to catch the little fish (presumably sticklebacks) that we could see.  It was great.  All those years of taking school groups pond dipping haven't gone to waste.  I love living here!