A sunny day in Otley brought the crowds out to Wharfemeadows Park. The boat hire was doing a booming trade, though some people had brought their own craft, like the young boys in the bottom photo. It must be a relatively safe stretch of the River Wharfe. There is a weir but there was a safety rope across to prevent people rowing too close. You can, however, row a fair distance up the river, passing under the beautiful seven-arched bridge, a scheduled ancient monument, which in part is 800 years old.
There was a time when the river in Roberts Park in Saltaire would have been as busy this. As I noted yesterday, many years ago there used to be boats for hire in Saltaire too and a small passenger steamer for cruises up and down the river. (See HERE.)
A mere 65 years ago I crossed this bridge to school each day. An ardent member of Prince Henry's canoe club we built and tested our canoes here. There used to be a year-round open swimming pool in which we did PT each Wednesday. It was bitterly cold. My Mum used to threaten me with National Service and I thought, it can't be worse than this! Nor was it. The "new" metal pedestrian bridge was added in 1958.
ReplyDeleteNothing better than messing about in boats on a warm summer's day.
ReplyDeleteIt looks like that was a pleasant day.
ReplyDelete