Isn't this a lovely view? It's the River Wharfe as it runs down through the village of Boston Spa. After recent rain, the river is much fuller than it has been. On the right you can just see Jackdaw Crags, an outcrop of limestone that's protected as a SEGI, a Site of Ecological and Geological Importance.
In the centre of the village, a long-standing and significant river crossing point, once a ford, is now spanned by the five arch Thorp Arch bridge, constructed in 1770.
Looking upstream from the bridge you can just see the 18th century weir that once harnessed the water's flow to supply local corn and textile mills with power.
It was hard to get closer to the weir because of the vegetation on the river bank. Where once it was a hive of industry, now it has modern residences with tranquil views over the water. In the foreground you can see the recently constructed fish pass, part of an environmental scheme to enable fish, particularly salmon, to migrate up and down our rivers, bypassing the man-made obstructions.
I did attempt a more 'arty shot' of the weir through the trees but, given that by this stage I was reduced to using my phone and not my camera, it didn't quite work!
And finally, here I am with my phone - photo courtesy of one of my friends!
Good to see you, Jenny! So far, I've only known your profile photo.
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion, you still managed a good picture through the trees, phone camera or not.
To live in one of those buildings next to the river looks idyllic, but I'd be too afraid of it often being the humid kind of cold that creeps into one's bones, let alone flooding.