Shipley Bridge (U14) and Avon Reservoir (S13)
As it had been very wet recently we wanted a walk on a firm path. the road from Shipley Bridge to Avon Dam seemed a good option. We got to the car park before cars had obscured the view of the derelict buildings.
The river Avon was thundering down over stones, making lots of small waterfalls. It made for a very pretty walk up to the dam.
As we approached Avon Dam we left the road and took the path that leads to the right hand side of the top of the dam. We were surprised that with so much water in the river that water was not coming over the dam. When we looked from the other side we saw that the reservoir was full, and lapping at the end of the dam, but not quite going over it.
As the ground was so wet we decided not to walk around the reservoir this time. We had attempted to do this in June 2011 but we had problems because of boggy ground then so we knew it would be difficult today. My blog describing that day is as follows and shows the rhododendrons that make this walk very special.
1 June 2011
There were still many of the rhododendrons flowers to come out, but they were nevertheless a picture. They were either side of the river Avon and up the banks towards the moor.
There was more water flowing down the river than when we visited last time, making little waterfalls, but there was still plenty of stones that were not completely covered in water.
We walked along the side of the river and continued up into the moor to Avon Dam. Instead of taking the path to the dam itself we cut across the moor and came to the reservoir. Along the way we came to a baby foal and its mother. The foal was very unsure on its feet and must have been very young.
We followed the path around the reservoir hoping to cross to the other side to walk back. We were not able to do this before the edge of the reservoir so continued walking up the river Avon. The ground started to become marshy and we could not see any crossing over the river so eventually turned around and came back the same way. Looking at the map later we realised we needed to continue up the river further, but we would have needed walking boots for that part of the path. Over the other side of the river we would have had to go up and down a hill, but the walk we did only had a gentle slope.
The river Avon was thundering down over stones, making lots of small waterfalls. It made for a very pretty walk up to the dam.
As we approached Avon Dam we left the road and took the path that leads to the right hand side of the top of the dam. We were surprised that with so much water in the river that water was not coming over the dam. When we looked from the other side we saw that the reservoir was full, and lapping at the end of the dam, but not quite going over it.
As the ground was so wet we decided not to walk around the reservoir this time. We had attempted to do this in June 2011 but we had problems because of boggy ground then so we knew it would be difficult today. My blog describing that day is as follows and shows the rhododendrons that make this walk very special.
1 June 2011
There were still many of the rhododendrons flowers to come out, but they were nevertheless a picture. They were either side of the river Avon and up the banks towards the moor.
There was more water flowing down the river than when we visited last time, making little waterfalls, but there was still plenty of stones that were not completely covered in water.
We walked along the side of the river and continued up into the moor to Avon Dam. Instead of taking the path to the dam itself we cut across the moor and came to the reservoir. Along the way we came to a baby foal and its mother. The foal was very unsure on its feet and must have been very young.
We followed the path around the reservoir hoping to cross to the other side to walk back. We were not able to do this before the edge of the reservoir so continued walking up the river Avon. The ground started to become marshy and we could not see any crossing over the river so eventually turned around and came back the same way. Looking at the map later we realised we needed to continue up the river further, but we would have needed walking boots for that part of the path. Over the other side of the river we would have had to go up and down a hill, but the walk we did only had a gentle slope.
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