a different perspective down by the river

27 January 2015

The weekend had been a little light on the walking front. There was some Sunday retail therapy, when Commando treated me to a slap up lunch in Burger King. Not the most salubrious of establishments I admit but it did give me a different view of the Bargate. Monday was mostly about cooking.  As I had a date with Commando on Tuesday afternoon to take running photos as publicity for his London Marathon fundraising, I thought I’d better get my finger out in the morning and get a few miles in. The original plan had been to take a train to Shawford and have a wander around Twyford before walking back, possibly on the Navigation, mud permitting. This would have been an all day walk though so I had to have a rethink. After I’d wasted half an hour looking at maps and scratching my head in hope of finding somewhere local enough that was also interesting and not muddy I gave up and set off for the river. It’s been a month since I last went down there and, although I knew nothing much would have changed, I did at least have a good idea how long it would take me to get down there and back. How many mornings have I set off over Cobden Bridge with a longing look across the road at the park after all?

All wrapped up against the cold in my new coat, waterproof, warm and with a fur lined hood that zips right up, I set out into a grey, cold morning. The first part of the walk felt like a walk to work but it was good to leave the Bridge behind and stride out along the river bank. For once, no one was feeding the swans by the jetty and I felt a little bad that I’d brought nothing for them. Still, I doubt they’ll starve.

The river was very low and, down by the reed beds, gulls were having a field day foraging for worms. Looking across the water I marvelled at all the different shades of bare branches. As it didn’t look too muddy, I decided to take the off path trail leading to the green behind the reeds. Just off the trail there’s a hole. It’s not a new hole, I’ve noticed it before and wondered what made it but now there was a mound of fresh earth in front of it as if whatever it was had been digging recently. I’m thinking it’s probably a fox hole but there may be badgers in the area too so I could be wrong.

On the edge of the green I found a wonderful crop of turkey tails on an old fallen branch. Greener than the ones I’ve seen in previous years, I knelt to admire the beautiful colours of the rings. Behind them, a living tree was smothered in layer upon layer of fungi, maybe more turkey tails although I think they are more likely to be found on dead wood. Unfortunately, my lack of height meant I could only look at them from below and at a distance. At the bottom of the same stand of trees there was a dried out hoof fungus. So many fungi in the same place when I’d not seen a single one on any of the other rotting logs and stumps made me wonder what this spot had that the others didn’t.

There’s a tiny area of natural shore here on the edge of the reed beds but normally it’s full of people with dogs so I don’t go down there. For once there was no one about so I scrambled down the bank of shingle and mud. Across the river a structure that may have been a bridge or a weir of some kind piqued my interest but the land on that side is inaccessible as far as I can tell. Maybe I will check it out another day. It did, at least, give me a different perspective on this part of the river. Intriguingly,  I saw a trail through the reeds, but it was too muddy to follow it.

The climb back up was harder than the going down but I made it without incident and set off across the strangely empty green to the path. Woodmill was deserted too, unless you count the ever present gulls, and the coffee shop was closed. Across the road I stood for a moment to watch a swan slowly being dragged downstream by the current as it preened its feathers. Suddenly the air was filled with the woosh of rotor blades as a giant chinook helicopter flew overhead. Despite the volume it was flying high. It somehow crept into one of my photos, where it looks more like an insect that an aircraft.

There was a goose on the path, his feathers all fluffed up against the cold. He gave me a hard stare as I passed by. I think he was after my warm coat. Further along a whole gaggle of geese were swimming together and, behind them, the lack of leaves on the trees gave me a better view of the path on the opposite bank. There seems to be a decent trail over there and I wish I knew how to get to it. I’ve an idea it belongs to the Woodmill Activity Centre though so, unless I pay, I think I’ll be out of luck.

When I reached the bend in the river the dead tree had a full complement of perching gulls. It’s seems to be sporting quite a crop of ivy too, so much in fact it’s hard to tell its a dead tree at all. On the boggy area near the bridge a silver birch tree was covered in black spots that I think my be dried out jelly fungi. Maybe I’ll come back when it’s been raining and have another look.

While I was lurking in the undergrowth, one foot in the mud, I sneaked a photo of a fisherman standing by the bridge. Fishing is something I know very little about but I’d have thought, with all the water churning under the bridge, it would be a poor choice for a fishing spot. The fisherman seemed to think so too because, as I passed him, he was packing up and later I saw him further along by the pub.

The pathway behind the boggy area was cordoned off with orange netting and, as I got closer, I could see some pumping equipment seemingly abandoned there. This does not bode well as we’ve not had a massive amount of rain so far. This is the area that is usually worst hit by floods so maybe they’re just leaving the equipment there to be prepared. Let’s hope they don’t need to use it this year.

Looking at my watch I could see I still had a little time before I needed to turn back. By now my hands were getting a little cold, as well as my poor nose, although the rest of me was toasty warm thanks to my coat. Perhaps I should just turn back and get warm before I went out again later. Then again…