The Best Value for Only 5p...

Here in England, last year we had a new law.  Instead of getting plastic carrier bags free with our shopping, the law says we have to pay 5p (equivalent to about 7 US cents) per bag.  This tiny fee has had an almost miraculous effect on our rivers.  Folk eschew the bags they once had for free and instead we now use stronger shopping bags designed with longevity in mind instead of being instantly disposable.  This means the previously inexhaustible supply of tree and river hugging plastic bags has all but disappeared. 

Old Bag



The river does have lots of man-made flotsam adorning the banks at the high water mark but those damned bags have almost vanished.  Today whilst out wandering by the Wye with Henry I came across only one such bag.  It was blue with no logo and probably came from a market stall in Bakewell.  Infuriatingly it is out of reach to your blogger so it is still there.  I'll go down via the left bank next time and see if it can be scraped out with a stick.

Young Bag

Being downstream from a town is not all bad news for Henry.  He delights in finding all the balls other dogs lose when their owners chuck them a bit too far and they end up in the river, where their dogs don't fancy a swim...

"Loose!"

The high water as well as bringing flotsam has stimulated the moles into retreating to higher ground.  Here in the background is evidence of their flood defences.  That larger mound is know as a "fort".  It just gives the family a little bit more height and somewhere to remain hidden and drier...










Here's Henry half a mile further upstream with another ball and there behind him is another mole family's "fort".

"Get here with it!"

The snowdrops are at their best now.  By March they will be brown and gone to seed.  You may remember that in colder years this is not the case...

Snowdrops

By the way, that gravel is still being moved...

 

 

This new gravel bar looks like it will make a great place in low water conditions to sit upon, cross-legged and await the evening rise...



Regular Rod