Kayaks

We came upon this little group of kayaks while wandering downstream from the Jackfield Bridge I showed in last week's ABC Wednesday.  They were practicing on a small fall of white water, the red kayak was paddling downstream but

then turned around to make another run

 meanwhile the yellow kayak was still enjoying trying to progress against the flow

 My preference over a kayak would definitely be a Canadian canoe with those reassuring life-jackets as my swimming ability is negligible.  There are quite a few hire companies offering maps, canoes and journeys of varying length on England's longest river, the Severn.  It  is the perfect vantage point to see wildlife while gently drifting through Shropshire.  One of the day trips on offer is a paddle down the river and then a return by steam train on the Severn Valley Railway which goes over the Victoria Bridge which is a similar design to 

this bridge, the Albert Edward, which today only carries coal traffic to the power station.  Built in 1864 with two tracks but today only one is used due to the age of the bridge, possibly one of the last cast iron railway bridges to be constructed.  When we were here in late August the first touches of Autumn colour had started to appear  but at this point the riverside still retained its summer green.

An entry to ABC Wednesday, a journey through the alphabet, this week sojourning at K here

          

ABC Wednesday - C

LLanfoist

C is for Canal Boats

Today C is in Wales on the Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal. Built between 1797 and 1812 to provide a link to the Bristol Channel and carried coal, iron, lime and agricultural products. After its decline and fall into disuse it was restored and reopened in the 1970s as a recreational waterway.
What is nicer than messing about in boats and chugging along a canal
or laying up by the towpath to take advantage of the local pubs. The canal boats are all different colours and some are individual

such as this mining mole. I wonder if this is owned by an ex coal miner.

Of course you can also glide along in a Canoe, on the Brecon and Abergaveny Canal but take care not to capsize
as the water is a rather cloudy, murky brown. A mouthful would perhaps not be refreshing. Although
mother mallard and her offspring probably find all sorts of delicious things to eat.

Curious to see more? Come on over to Mrs Nesbitt's ABC Wednesday to see everyones interpretations of the letter C