Rivers, streams and canals

Part of out trip to the cold north in Dec 2012. This beautiful river in the centre of Gothenburg, in Sweden is, as you can see, frozen over. In the background is a thick mist that was to soon engulf me here. Enjoy the rest of this Christmas. Herb

Another view from this popular area. The lighting on here slightly better than my re-walk of this scene just a month or so back, but apart from that, things are the same. To the right, the increasingly busy Gibson Mill with its visitors centre and cafe. To the left the environmentally friendly facilities (WC). pip Enjoy

Another of this years scenes of the River Dee just at the Linn of Dee bridge in from Scotland. Not a million miles from the famous village of Braemar.

Another look at the Calder & Hebble Navigational canal. this time we see the canal basin - the place where canal boats and barges can be moored long stay. Normally at least one boat yard is also present, so a place where one can bring your craft for repairs and service. We see here also the old worn-out shiny cobbled tow path where many years ago now, horses would pull the working boats along the canal. I am lucky on this day that the water is so still, allowing such fine reflections. Enjoy

The tiny hamlet of Durn is the place where this golden glimpse of the Rochdale canal can be seen. We are just finishing our 5 mile round walk around here and so this late golden light is a blessing for me. This is bridge No. 49, a road bridge. Like all the bridges of this canal, they are numbered as are all the numerous locks. They use a slightly different system and so you often get, say lock 39 under or next to bridge 43. Enjoy full size.

A soft hazy start to our walk here that ended up with beautiful late lighting. Taken on the approach t'Summit' from Littleborough. This canal started life higher, at the small town of Sowerby Bridge (joining the Calder & Hebble navigation via the River Calder) and finishes in the centre of Manchester via the town of Rochdale. It is a broad canal because its locks are wide enough to allow vessels of 14 feet width (much wider than my own local Huddersfield Narrow canal). Completed in 1804. Best viewed full size.

Chugging* along the 'Peak Forest Canal' towards the 'Portland Basin' of Ashton-u-Lyne can be a cold if not miserable chore. No doubt though it is warm and cosy inside with his little log stove ablaze with the pot of brewing tea atop :) * To move forward slowly, as of a steam train (which stereotypically makes a chugging noise). Nice full size.

A fence full of ‘Common Gulls’ (Larus canus) that we see often in Britain. A smaller gentler version of our even more numerous 'Herring gull'. I liked not only the birds on here but also the gentle curve and light of this fence. This taken on the Rochdale Canal at Littleborough. I wish you all, a great weekend, Herb

A retrospective look at the Portland Canal basin in Ashton-u-Lyne. This is the junction of three canals: Ashton Canal to the left, Huddersfield Narrow canal to the right and I am on the Peak Forest Canal. The building you can see was originally the 19c Ashton Canal warehouse here, now a free museum and cafe. The 1835 bridge is an old cobbled pathway, that allowed horses to continue along the canal. The Pip is an old waterwheel of the same warehouse -just to the right of this scene. NB Nice full size. A canal basin is (particularly in the United Kingdom) an expanse of waterway alongside or at the end of a canal, and wider than the canal, constructed to allow boats to moor or unload cargo without impeding the progress of other traffic, and to allow room for turning, thus serving as a winding hole. (Wiki)

Another view along the 'Peak Forest Canal' outside 'Ashton-u-Lyne'. A low contrast scene but the whole mood lifted by the florescent green jacket. Enjoy.

A favourite walk not far from my home here in Oldham, this area always looks nice in these conditions and lighting like this. The river today is very high after weeks of heavy rain. This morning we have some snow instead. Enjoy large.

Just at the edge of town here, is the old weir of Bridge End Mill, in flood conditions! Normally one can see the top edge of the weir with about 5cm of water going over. Actually, and I wish I had photographed it now, at my back is a very interesting small constuction which I thought nothing of, at the time. It is the 'Settle Hydro' : "Settle Hydro was built in 2009 on the site of Bridge End Mill, one of a number of mills that operated on this stretch of the River Ribble until the mid-twentieth century. The Hydro is powered by water that is drawn from the Ribble immediately above the weir, through a sluice gate, along the mill's original head race, down the Archimedes Screw (the turbine!) and back into the Ribble a short distance from the base of the weir. Electricity is generated by the falling water rotating the Archimedes Screw turbine which, in turn, drives a generator. The electricity is fed by a direct line to the old mill building which now houses a number of apartments. Electricity that is not needed by the apartments is fed into the National Grid." More info: www.settlehydro.org.uk Nice full screen!

Sometimes called Langcliffe Locks Weir, we are just up-river about a mile or so north of the Yorkshire Dales town of Settle. A very long shutter speed here slows the flooded water flow to a milky silk. The river today (a week later) has gone back to it's much lower average level -a bit like this Covid19 virus will do too in time too. Enjoy full screen and keep safe.

Time for something different, so here is a scene on the Peak Forest Canal near the Lancashire town of Hyde. A place here where one gets fresh water and some supplies whilst on your canal barge and at the same time let the kids play on the rides. – It looks like some people have waited rather too long for their supplies though :) HFF, enjoy the weekend and keep safe.

A slow view of this very fast falls in flood conditions. Stainforth Force in the Yorkshire Dales is the name given to a series of small cascades on the River Ribble just south of Stainforth Bridge, an old packhorse bridge that dates back to 1675. See Pip for normal view and glimpse of bridge. Tech data: Nikon D7100 at 30 secs. Tokina 11-16 ATX Pro f2.8 @F11. Filter: NiSi x10 ND 100mm (The Big Stopper) mounted in Lee filter holder. All sat on Manfrotto 055 tripod. Enjoy full size

Seen on our Yorkshire Dales short holiday. The first water encountered on this walk. The Pecca Falls is the name given to a set of waterfalls on the River Twiss in Swilla Glen, near Ingleton. There are five waterfalls in total which collectively drop over thirty metres in height. (http://myyorkshiredales.co.uk/water/waterfalls/pecca-falls/) PiP Enjoy

The first set on falls encountered on this wonderful trail. See adjacent photo for more details.