Weir

 

A weir is, I believe, similar to a dam except that instead of blocking the water completely from flowing it allows flow over its top. The river keeps flowing but its flow is controlled rather than natural. This one above is one I have seem many times from up on the bridge but never given it much thought until yesterday. Apparently swimming in a weir is dangerous yet I see kids swimming there every summer. That I'd imagine is the least of their worries given the colour and smell of it and the fact there is a sewage works quarter of a mile upstream. It's a place though people tend to stop and view while crossing the bridge. Often a heron can be spotted lingering. Ive seen the odd cormorant too. Further downstream I even seen an otter one year. At the right time of year large splashes of salmon landing can be heard. There is a calmness to the flow. Not as calming as the ocean waves but a little break from the concrete and metal surrounds.

I mention it because I was down here yesterday for the first time in a while. I've decided that if I am going to walk every day then I need to vary the walks or I will lose interest to boredom. I nearly didn't. It was about 11 in the morning when I headed down and going towards the woodland that would take me down I was on a collision course with 4 guys. I slowed but they stopped and in doing so all 4 pulled out bottles of Buckfast. So I walked again and they walked too. They were getting louder and I could see although all 4 were drunk their bottles were newly opened. They had probably bought them, headed down the woods and could not wait. It put me off. The woods are getting darker with people this last year or so and I find myself avoiding them more. 

In the end I went a different way and was glad I did. After getting uptight this helped unwind me a little. It makes me more determined also to get better soon even though I can't force that. I now long badly for the coast. I'd like to see the sea again soon.