Riff Raff Diary – November 2017

Published on: 7 Nov, 2017
Updated on: 7 Nov, 2017

Riff Raff Cottage and Weir

Riverbank tales from the local St Catherine’s lengthsman and weir keeper

by Robert Craig

I took two weeks annual leave during October. So the beginning of the month prior to that I spent getting the locks mown and the visitor’s moorings along my length strimmed. I also managed to get some of the narrower sections of towpath strimmed.

Swamp Cyprus by St Catherine’s Footbridge

Since my return, I have been getting on with strimming the towpath starting at the Guildford end and working my way upstream, as well as giving the locksides and moorings another cut and at Millmead clearing the fallen leaves. I have also cut back some of the alder branches which were beginning to encroach on the Navigation.

Now that the shorter days have arrived and the hire boat season has come to an end, things are somewhat quieter along the river giving it a different feel.

By the water, if you get a day with the sun on them, the beech trees near Langton Priory are looking magnificent in their autumn colours, as is the Swamp Cyprus on Shalford Park opposite Ferry Lane.

Pausing at St. Catherine’s lock at the moment you will very likely see a pair of stonechats perched on the barbed wire fence. They are handsome little birds, the male especially with his sooty black head and orange breast.

See you by the river.

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