Sunday 17 January 2010

Snow flow at Swallowhead Springs

The rain of Saturday 16th January 2010 cleared most of the remaining snow from the Kennet Valley, and, although an Environment Agency 'flood watch' alert had been removed by just after midday on the following day, the upper reach of the river at Swallowhead Springs was showing some good water levels in the Sunday sunshine...


Silbury Hill hiding in the background to the fecundity of the river that dictated its location.


The stepping stones from the lower field stile are rendered obsolete by the heightened flow from the northern winterbournes...


...and the sping itself is seen to be contributing a steady outflow from its chalk hill basin.

A little further downstream the effects of the improved flow from the 'source' are evidenced by comparison with the pictures previously posted in description of the Upper Kennet...


Above Overton Bridge, with the 'river course naturalisation' works just visible in the distance.  When I previously fell over the edge of the bridge here I bruised my hand grabbing the wooden fence (in the left of the image), but landed on the bank. It would have been a lot wetter today.


The willows at George Bridge have too much to drink...


...as the river has spread to show its potential.