Tales from the Riverbank: Ah, Summer by the Ribble

Over the past couple of months, many local people have got in touch to share their feelings, memories and concerns about the Ribble and its green spaces.
Some have also sent in some really beautiful photos.



Several people have also asked if we are arranging any events over the coming weeks, and we're pleased to report that we are organising our yearly Balsam Bash for Friday 3rd July AND have again been invited to take part in the Ribble Coast & Wetlands Walking Festival in October, so more details will be on the blog soon!

In the meantime, enjoy these little tasters of Summertime by the Ribble, and get out yourselves as much as you can - the summer weather so far has been pretty good, and we are spending our evenings and weekends relaxing by the Ribble instead of blogging it!

The first three pictures, including the top one, were taken from Penwortham Old Bridge ("a glorious view every morning on the way to work" says JB)...

...and from the same bridge giving a closer look at low tide when JB saw several Black Headed Gulls fishing in these little rapids and catching absolutely loads of small fry - but she says she didn't manage to get a good snap of them actually catching one... ("needed a bigger zoom" she says)...



...and the House Martins are back nesting beneath our eaves -this nest with a sparrow keeping an eye on things!)...



- although JB and a couple of other people have mentioned that there seem to be less House Martins returning this year, as there are a few mud houses which haven't been rebuilt, and there seem to be fewer Swallows than usual hunting over the river and nearby meadows.

Yet Razzi B of Lower Penwortham has actually managed to get a photo of these incredibly speedy creatures!



- as well as a cracking picture of the midges they feast on!


(Rather the Swallows eating the midges than the midges eating us).

Chris has sent in some great pictures of the Old Tram Bridge taken from the "beach" opposite Avenham & Miller Parks at low tide...







And of the view upriver from beneath the Tram Bridge...



Chris also included some lovely pictures of the Penwortham and Preston banks of the Ribble as the sun is setting...








Geoff has been in touch recently and has known the Ribble very well for many years. He has mentioned many interesting things he has seen and experienced, from the source of the Ribble to the sea. He has been caving in Alum Pot and other caves near Ribblehead ("we went to Upper Long Churn cave and though to the bridge in Alum Pot: it's interesting that the water goes under the Ribble into Turn Dub which then empties westward into the Ribble") and has watched the big ferry boat which used to come into the docks just managing to escape from the docks before the river was too silted up to run it any more.

Geoff feels very strongly that the Council's recent idea of dividing the dock in half and building on half of it would be a very bad if not fatal procedure for the dock basin. It would, he says, "be a tragedy not to somehow use the unique potential of the dock, it is something that Preston has to exploit for its pride, inhabitants, visitors and eventually financial advantage. It is a shame that so much is in the hands of people who do not seem to value the history of the river."
Geoff is planning to dig out some old photos for us - of the Docks, of the hydrofoil that for a time ran a service from Southport across the river, and of a banana boat passing the west end of Lytham green. He also has some pictures of himself and other people diving off Stainforth Force!

When we have asked local people to tell us why they value the Ribble so much, it is remarkable how so many say pretty much the same things about the River Ribble and its green spaces, and show a very deep connection with these unique assets.

NM tells us:

"Like many people who live by the Ribble, I walk by the river a lot, I walk to town through the park, I do circular 7 mile walks with friends round the river and the nature reserve...

On a personal level, I love the fresh air that the river brings, the wildlife and the tranquillity. Alot of people drive miles (and sometimes have to pay) to see something of natural beauty and in my view the council or whoever, want to actually take that away (probably because they want to charge people!). I also believe that to build a barrage (I presume that it is still in the plans) would turn the river into a canal. It would then become smelly, littered and lifeless.

...The docks was a blank canvas, and I remember the talk of all the plans of hotels, up-market shops and a bustling marina none of which have materialised... I have no confidence whatsoever, that the vision these people have of Preston, is going benefit the people of Preston in anyway.

...In the early days when the idea first became common knowledge I tried to find out more about the plans and was told that, as I live South of the Ribble, it did not concern me, but, of course, it does, it concerns everybody."


Alot of people are still raising concerns about the Preston Vision Board in particular, from its apparent lack of accountability or engagement with ordinary local people, to its unrepresentative membership (which is primarily businessmen).

Aidan from Preston sent in this great quote for the blog, and it seems a particularly apt one to use here!
The boss of the Ecology Building Society, Paul Ellis, in the latest Big Issue in the North magazine [page 5, 4-10 May, 2009], is quoted as saying that:

“The pinnacle of human evolution is not a man in a business suit”.


Couldn't agree more Aidan! I'm more inclined to think that local Ribble residents have a much clearer grasp of what's important in the world...



Thanks Chris, Razzi, and JB, Geoff, Aidan, and NM, and thanks to everyone for sending in your comments and pictures.

Happy Ribbling!

You can contact us at savetheribble@tiscali.co.uk