Down to the River - Part 1

I thought I'd take you on a local walk, just 10 minutes from my home. I live in between two rivers and this walk is along part of the River Weaver. We start guided by the weather vane of the art college, past grand Victorian houses until you see a chink of light through a secret passage.

A little peep into a lovely river garden.

And a look at the river houses, what a view they have every morning. 
Daddy Bird wants to live here.

We cross a wondrous new swing bridge and look each way, hearing a train in the distance.
There are always plenty of ducks here and if you look carefully, you might spy a heron silently waiting.

I would love to canoe down here in the evening sun too.

Crossing the bridge we arrive at the locks. 

Powerful wooshing of water, chattering of the lock keepers, canal boats bumping their way through and swallows screeching and swooping above.

The viaduct runs close by, such industrial beauty.

Proud boat keepers with their little rooftop gardens, so pretty. My local college runs a course in canal art that I did a couple of years back. Here we learnt how to paint the pretty roses that you can see on the side of this canal boat.

There is a large boating influence in my town, it's what drew me here to settle.

 My first ever view was driving across the main bridges as a single woman with no ties and breathing in the marina. The image stayed with me and I eventually found my way back many years later finding Daddy Bird on the way.

Another day we will head over to the nature reserve but today we must get back for tea as my tummy is rumbling.