Desperate

There has been no significant rain for about a month around here and nature is definitely suffering as a result. Grassy areas are now hay - yellow and dusty - and even the small pond in the nature reserve is drying up. The water lilies that normally float are sticking up like regular plants as the water level is so low, and the water itself is choked full of weed. I don't think it is harmful algae but it doesn't look very nice, smothering the pond. There are still some damsel flies around but it didn't seem quite the healthy and abundant environment I'm used to seeing there. 

I wanted a picture of the water lily flowers - and got a selfie too! It was only when I uploaded the image that I noticed that light green 'thing' at the top that doesn't really look very natural. I'm not sure what it was; perhaps one of those foam kneeling mats that gardeners use? Really needs fishing out, anyway! 

An early start

I'm not the only one who likes to make an early start on hot days. On many mornings, boats can be seen passing through Hirst Lock and the swing bridge. Here are White Knight and Rhencullen making their way from one overnight mooring to the next. Narrowboats often pair up to traverse the canal. Many hands make for lighter work and two narrowboats fit neatly side by side in the locks. 

I wonder whether bright sunshine is really the ideal weather for a narrowboat trip. I imagine it gets pretty hot inside, so finding a shady mooring beneath the trees must be very welcome. Leaping about in locks, pushing heavy lock gates and trying to shift stiff swing bridges will certainly bring on a sweat! It needed three people's efforts to move the Hirst Lane bridge. 

Random notes from another walk

I try to have at least a short walk most days (don't always manage it) and my default is to walk down to the canal, along the towpath and back home up through Saltaire village. There's usually something interesting to see. It's not often, however, that I see kayakers on the canal and certainly not so many together. They were a colourful sight. They had to stop a few yards further on and haul all the boats out of the canal to carry them up past the lock. There are signs on both sides that mandate 'Porterage'. I imagine a lock isn't safe for such shallow, light craft; it would be like trapping them in a washing machine as the water poured in.  

At exactly the moment they sped past me, I also spotted a toad crawling quite rapidly across the towpath to the canal. It was a feat of some dexterity to manage to get photos of both. The toad was soon gone, with a belly flop into the water. Perhaps it was on its way to spawn. 

Pauline

There were a number of boats moored by Hirst Lock when I walked that way just before Christmas. (One of them was selling attractive knitted craft items.) I've never seen this historic widebeam barge called 'Pauline' before. Its (her?) history was detailed on a plaque (my last photo) - really very interesting. There can't be that many boats left on the canal that are over 150 years old. Beautiful to see and she still looks very well maintained. 'Fly boats' were apparently fast cargo boats that worked around the clock, or to a set timetable, delivering perishable goods and urgent orders. 

Hirst Lock Nature Reserve

Although I walk past it several times a week, looking down into it from the road above, it's quite a while since I actually went into the little nature reserve by Hirst Locks. It is growing abundantly and looks wonderful. The pond looks really healthy, with water lilies in flower and plentiful pondlife. I watched both dragonflies and damsel flies skitting across, their iridescent bodies and wings catching the sun.  

Some small trees that I thought at first were in blossom proved, on closer inspection, to be those pretty flamingo willows with pink and white leaves, Salix integra.

The reserve has an interesting mixture of wild and garden plants. Meadowsweet is in full flower right now and there was lots of that around the pond. The hot pink feathery spikes by the path are, I think, a variety of astilbe - a gorgeous colour. 

Canal artwork

This rather lovely canal artwork was designed and painted some while ago by pupils from Saltaire Primary School. It was initially sited beside Hirst Lock but then, for some reason, the Canal and River Trust or some such body decided it wasn't going to be allowed there any longer and it was moved to decorate the side of a building in Shipley. Now, the original has been scanned and reproduced digitally and a copy has once again been placed near the lock. I think it's rather good; a lovely colourful addition to the area. I believe we have to thank the Bradford 2025 City of Culture for this. As well as the large scale professional events, they are sponsoring a multitude of small, local, community initiatives - art, music, theatre, competitions and cultural events. 

Six at the lock

Sometimes when I'm not feeling very photographically inspired, I'll set myself a little project. Down by the canal at Hirst Lock, I challenged myself to find six different images that I liked. Here they are. 

How lucky am I?

Of course, in moving from a house with steep stairs to an apartment all on one level, I've lost a significant portion of my daily exercise. It makes it even more important to get out for a walk when I can. How lucky I am that 5000 steps or so takes me along this scenic route on a circular walk - and on an absolutely glorious day too. 

There was a very smart boat that I've never seen before, moored near Hirst Lock. It had a memorable name: The Skull and Cactus. It make you wonder how people dream these names up.

A warm evening

Hot days have been followed by warm evenings, the best time of day to go for a stroll. The golden glow along the canal added a touch of magic to the familiar scene. Then I became fascinated by the writhing reflections of the trees. They seemed somehow to have a touch of Salvador Dali about them.

 

Summer's lushness

It's been a while since I called in to the little nature reserve at Hirst Lock, and I was astonished at how lush it is. A joyous mixture of wild and garden plants, it has obviously been enjoying the abundant rainfall and bursts of warmth and sunshine we've been having this summer. 

The pond has some lovely waterlilies, needing a little more sunshine to fully open on the day I was there but pretty anyway. 

There are also bulrushes, curious things with unisexual flowers. 

When it's all filled with tall leafy things, the nature reserve has a very different vibe from how it is in the winter. It becomes a secret garden with winding pathways like a maze and plenty of places to hide and seek, which two little tots were enjoying doing while I was there. It's a little green oasis and I know many people really enjoy it. It's rare that you're on your own for long down there. 

Daffy-down-dilly

'Daffy-down-dilly has now come to town
With a petticoat green and a bright yellow gown.'

Indeed, there were numerous varieties of daffodils in bloom in the little Hirst Wood Nature Reserve, making it all look very cheerful. 

We've had so much rain for months, so to be able to take a walk in the dry and with late afternoon sunshine brightening the scene was very pleasant. The newly-laid canal towpath is open again, at least temporarily. The black tarmac surface is apparently only the undercoat and, when the weather is drier, they will lay a buff-coloured topping of gravel chippings.

It may be that people haven't realised the path is open again, as there were many fewer people walking that way than there would usually be. In fact, for a few moments, as I gazed down the canal from the top of the lock, I could not see another soul. 

A man and a hole

On one of my wanders along the canal I happened upon a man looking into a hole. The man was a Canal and River Trust (C&RT) staff member and the hole had appeared beside the canal pound, between the swing bridge and Hirst Lock. As I peered into the hole alongside him, he explained that when the water level rises it can overtop the bank and then, as it soaks away it takes a little bit of soil with it. Over time, that causes the ground to sink - a small sinkhole. He and his mate (who declined to be photographed) were just about to try and repair it. The C&RT staff and volunteers must constantly be busy as there are frequent issues with leaks and collapses. The canal is 250 years old and needs endless maintenance. 

The canal and river network was at one time managed by British Waterways, a governmental corporation. In 2012 its assets were transferred to a charitable trust. The grant received from the Government is reducing all the time. When I asked my MP about this, the reply from DEFRA (Dept for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) was that 'it is wrongly assumed that there is an obligation on the Government to fund C&RT beyond 2027 and that it [the funding] should be inflation-adjusted; neither of which is the case. The Government does not routinely inflation-proof funding it provides, and organisations ranging from charities to Government departments are expected to absorb inflationary pressures. We want to avoid a cliff edge in C&RT funding and so the new Government grant is being tapered at an annual 5% reduction to help the C&RT continue to meet the objective of reduced reliance on government funding.'  In other words, the charity is expected over time to generate its own funding - but I find it hard to see how they can do this. It's not like the National Trust, which can charge massive entry fees or annual membership to visit their properties. There is only so much that can be raised in fees from boat owners and it's impractical for the C&RT to try to charge the people that use the canal and river paths. They do operate a membership scheme but I think only the most public-spirited canal users bother to join. It is a huge black hole opening up, not just on the canal bank but in its funding. It's such a short term view from the Government. Once the waterways network starts to crumble it will rapidly become unusable and that will accelerate the decline. Such a shame. 

Work done and work needed

The walk along the riverbank is one I enjoy fairly regularly but, since I last went that way, the Canal and River Trust (CRT) people (I suppose) have been doing a lot of remedial work. They have widened and flattened the path and topped it with a gravelly clay mixture (though that will be muddy after rain, I'm sure). The new path goes all the way from the Rowing Club to Dowley Gap, ironing out all the uneven bits and the holes. It makes it much safer and easier for walking. Hooray! 

They have also packed a lot of the areas where the river was starting to erode the path, which should help stop the damage getting worse, though I'm not sure those barriers will survive a flood. 

Our local Green councillors, with Hirst Wood Regeneration Group and conservation volunteers have also fenced off a dangerous pathway down to the bridge over the goit underneath the aqueduct, making a safer access path further round. 

Now someone needs to turn attention to the lock gates at Hirst Wood. One of the big wooden balance beams has sheered off and the gates themselves are riddled with holes. I think they are still being used but they do need some remedial work. It's going to become an increasing problem as the CRT are complaining that the next round of government funding is far lower than they actually need to maintain our river and canal systems in good working order. It's a shame as it's much easier to maintain things than to reclaim things that have been left to deteriorate. 

Enjoying the sunshine

Winter does mean that I notice and relish those crisp, cold sunny days when we get them. I walked my usual route along the canal to Hirst Lock. Between the lock and the swing bridge, the canal widens in a turning circle so that boats can pass and turn at this point if they need to. It was still and calm, with lovely reflections of that blue sky.  There were quite a few people out and about enjoying the weather, including a couple enjoying the view whilst having a good chat on the bench.

Hirst Wood Nature Reserve

From its beginnings in 2015, in a boggy field adjacent to Hirst Lock on the canal (see HERE), I think it's fair to say the Hirst Wood Nature Reserve has become a resounding success. It was envisaged as being 'a haven for wildlife, a delight for visitors and an outdoor classroom for youngsters.'  I think it has probably met all three criteria as it has matured. 

It obviously wasn't looking at its best when I popped in the other day, as everything is dank and decaying, but it has been well planted and soon there will be spring bulbs emerging and blossom on some of the trees. 

Even as I strolled around I saw several birds: various tits, blackbirds, a nuthatch and a woodpecker - fairly common ones, granted, but pleasing to see nevertheless. I might have seen more had they not been scared away by a rather exuberant toddler haring around! He was enjoying the space and the birds would come back when the family had gone. There is a well-stocked feeding station, and - I imagine - few predators apart from the odd local cat hanging out there.  

I think the site suffers a certain amount of vandalism, sadly, but the volunteers are tireless in their dedication to keeping it clean and safe. Since I last called in, there have been many more areas landscaped and planted, with this rather lovely willow tunnel, more seating and several interpretation boards. It really is lovely.