Disappearing River Bradford

Ike saw the controversy of the disappearing River Bradford on the local TV news so that's where we went to have a look. We've been there a couple of times before when the river was in full flow. It was Ike's turn to drive and we set off just after 07:00, up the A6 and parked in the hamlet of Alport. It was misty when we started off but was quite clear when we got there. We just followed the footpath and it soon became apparent that the water levels were right down despite the rain from the last couple of days. When we got to the so called swimming area there was just a trickle of water flowing through it.We just walked along the footpath which followed the river until we got to the bottom of Middleton. It was a climb up through this  ravine towards Middleton and near the top it started chucking it down so we found shelter under a huge overhanging rock and we decided to have breakfast there until the rain passed. While we were there a local guy came past walking his Bernese dog and we had a good chat about whats happening to the river. From there we got to Middleton and then along the road for a spell until we turned off onto a footpath that took us zig zaging down the hillside back to the river and eventually back to the car.

Following the River Bradford

This is in Alport 

Old pack horse bridge

Tremendous view of rock strata 

One of the numerous bridges over the Bradford

Rob, Ike and Geoff looking at the empty swimming area 

This way boys

Rob, Ike and Geoff

One of the dammed area's on the river

Just a trickle where there should be a flowing river

Poetry built into the wall

The track up to Middleton

Geoff putting on his cycle cape

Ike looking after his sandwiches with a hungry dog around.

This memorial is in the middle of Middleton

Middleton

Green man over the door

Geoff

Great looking sheep

This lovely property is right next to where we parked.

 This was 4 1/2 miles over mainly flat track until we had to climb up to Middleton, this is a beautiful walk in the summer but the leaves have mostly gone and it was a bit dull and damp today. Never the less an interesting morning.
See you next week.