Tuesday 18 February 2014

Ringwood`s River - the Avon in Flood




On Sunday the rain stopped. Just for a while.
I walked though a back lane from Ringwood`s old market place, to have a look at the floods on the edge of the town. A channel of the River Avon flows here, beside a small park. After the recent rains, the Avon has burst its banks and the channel and main river are flowing as one, across acres of drowned fields.

The wire fence in these photos shows the usual river bank and a field boundary.












The footbridge that normally leads to a footpath over fields, now stops at a meadow deep in water.




Water flowed angrily through deeper channels, but at the shallower edge, water weeds shone green.




The park showed signs of earlier flooding with puddles and slippery, muddy grass underfoot.




Beneath a stand of trees, purple crocuses survived the flood and opened their flowers to the pale sun.








This residential road was still flooded and closed, although several others are now useable again.








The Bickerley fields are usually a public area for walking and playing games. They were wet with standing water this weekend.




Natural pruning had stripped brittle twigs and branches in recent high winds.




The cottages of Bickerley Terrace are not far from the river, but seem to have escaped from the flood.




Across the fields, floodwater shone like a silver mirror, stretching away across farmland and down towards the distant sea.



12 comments:

Louise said...

I know it causes much devastation but the water does look beautiful in photos. It's easy for me to say that though, as I've never experienced flooding. River levels are high here and fields waterlogged, but we just don't suffer flooding around here - luckily.

Jenny said...

Looks bad.
Hope it's had a chance to dry out a bit today!

Kath said...

Blimey! We drove down to Alton last weekend and it was a similar sight, with pumps taking flood water from peoples homes into the roads.
Still water to be seen from every window here and rain again this afternoon.

Bovey Belle said...

That's a lot of water . . . good to see the Crocuses in flower though. Spring can't be too far away now.

Podo said...

We deal with flooding almost every spring here, but it sure seems epic over there. It's great to see the crocuses up, I'm afraid mine won't make an appearance for quite some time yet. Still have about 2 feet of snow on top of them!

angryparsnip said...

Goodness !
I can't believe everyday I read about more flooding.
But the photos are beautiful, the sunny day helps.
I fear when most of the U.S. thaws, we will have massive flooding too.
Happy to know your fine.

cheers, parsnip

Anonymous said...

Great shots, it looks so beautiful. I suppose all that silt will at least be fertilising the land for when the waters do finally recede. Seems to be going down a bit here at long last, although roads still shut. Really keeping fingers crossed for friend's flooded house and some respite for them.

Ragged Robin said...

Great photos - floods do look bad where you are. Hope the water recedes soon. Lovely to see the crocuses :)

Lucille said...

Glad to see crocuses or any sign of Spring at the end of this dire winter.
I remember going to visit my best friend at the Pound Lane Stores in Burley near Ringwood. Is this the same Ringwood?

Down by the sea said...

As the others have mentioned it does look beautiful in the sunshine but equally it is amazing how much water there is! Sarah x

SeagullSuzie said...

I love how the pretty little crocus have survived and are flowering their little heads off surrounded by all that water.

Dartford Warbler said...

A reply to Lucille`s question - yes, it is the same Ringwood ( in Hampshire).

Pound Lane in Burley no longer has its store but I believe that building is now a house. I`ll try and find out for you! There is a village store that sells most things, on the main Ringwood Road.