Author Topic: Fords (Read 97687 times)

chilipapa · « **Reply #100 on:** 22 September, 2012, 07:20:12 pm »

Fell in this one a few weeks back leading a newcomers ride. In all the years I didn't know there was a gap running along it's middle.....Scalextric moment

Cudzoziemiec · « **Reply #101 on:** 22 September, 2012, 10:25:41 pm »

No photo, but I visited the ford near Easton Grey on the Foss Way today - to find it closed. There are Roman remains in and around the river bed, so the ford and the area to either side of the right of way itself has been fenced off. There is a bridge, which itself might be mediaeval, but the whole section of the Foss between the B4040 and the Foxley road that roughly parallels it to the south, has been surfaced in horrible chunky gravel which combined with the steep valley sides makes it really difficult and unpleasant to ride on. Still a pleasant spot though. I must remember to take a camera with me!

Deano · « **Reply #102 on:** 23 September, 2012, 01:04:26 pm »

Hob Hole, NY Moors:

the slippery ford at Hob Hole by dean.clementson, on Flickr

Cudzoziemiec · « **Reply #103 on:** 30 September, 2012, 10:48:55 pm »

Again no photo, cos again no camera with me, but today I have finally ridden through a ford - with water in it! It's here, I think it's called Stowey Bottom and this is the third or fourth time I've ridden through it. The first time I didn't even realise it was meant to be a ford, the second I noticed the signs but there was no water, today there was about an inch! Hopefully that will still be there for riders on the Tasty Cheddar next Saturday.

adam w · « **Reply #104 on:** 04 November, 2012, 08:13:48 pm »

heres a little one from the exmoor beast sportive which was quite fun, bloke behind fell into the water

Cudzoziemiec · « **Reply #105 on:** 04 November, 2012, 11:35:07 pm »

Doesn't look a nice surface to ride over.

Tomsk · « **Reply #106 on:** 23 November, 2012, 06:08:51 pm »

Taken yesterday: The second of the two fords or rather 'wet bridges', on the well named Watery Lane south of Matching Green, Essex. The stream runs next to the lane [and spills over a bit when in spate - about 300 yards of splashiness] then crosses back at this point. There were juicy potholes lurking in this one...

Lots of water in the Stort Navigation on my return along the towpath. The raging crosswind needed a heavy lean to counteract, which made things interesting. Its been a while since I've travelled that bit of the towpath; the surface is much improved

.

Oscar's dad · « **Reply #107 on:** 24 November, 2012, 01:29:56 pm »

Is that your folder Tomsk?

De Sisti · « **Reply #108 on:** 24 November, 2012, 03:25:32 pm »

What are they for? Fords I mean.

jogler · « **Reply #109 on:** 24 November, 2012, 03:34:38 pm »

They are for falling into.

Gus · « **Reply #110 on:** 24 November, 2012, 03:46:35 pm »

Quote from: De Sisti on 24 November, 2012, 03:25:32 pm

What are they for? Fords I mean.

For countries who lack the money or the skills of building bridges

I had not seen one one in Europe before visiting England.

Tomsk · « **Reply #111 on:** 24 November, 2012, 05:13:54 pm »

Quote from: Oscar's dad on 24 November, 2012, 01:29:56 pm

Is that your folder Tomsk?

That's Konnie, my Kona mtb - now with FULL mudguards as well as hub-geared loveliness. Proof against winter in Essex

As seen with Xmas lights on last year's extravaganza...

Fords seem to be an Essex speciality: the village of Pleshey is so named - ['plashet', dialect = ford] - as 5 out of the six roads into the village used to be through water. Lots of little streams that the parish couldn't afford to bridge I suppose.

Bledlow · « **Reply #112 on:** 26 November, 2012, 01:42:12 pm »

There are several around here. A couple just east of Reading, a couple more between Reading & Newbury, some to the south . . . see the "Have you been out today?" thread

http://www.wetroads.co.uk/ county by county list of fords, most with pictures. Includes roads, RUPPs, & byways.

Gareth Rees · « **Reply #113 on:** 16 June, 2013, 07:25:16 pm »

Ford on the River Brain near White Notley, Essex. (I do like the name "River Brain". Braaaaain!)

Gareth Rees · « **Reply #114 on:** 08 July, 2013, 10:00:29 am »

Another trip through the ford on the River Quin at Braughing in Hertfordshire. Refreshing on a hot day like yesterday.

Kim · « **Reply #115 on:** 11 August, 2013, 01:33:45 pm »

Lured by these signs, I discovered this one on the River Alne yesterday:

It's not so much a ford as a couple of farm tracks that happen to meet opposite sides of the river in about the same place. Given the low NSTN-approval-factor of the approach, I reckon it's just about passable in a sturdy tractor (which presumably would be too wide / heavy for the bridge^[1]):

(The photos don't do it justice, I was wearing the wrong shoes to go wading to an optimal position.)

_{[1] Sadly for bridge enthusiasts, tree cover and fences thwarted any photographic opportunities. You'd have to trudge through the field in winter to get a pic.}

Gareth Rees · « **Reply #116 on:** 28 October, 2013, 04:41:16 pm »

That's a scary looking ford: gravel and mud at the bottom, and an awkward exit!

Here are a couple of flooded roads. Left, Dean Road near Bartlow, Cambridgeshire. Right, Brookfield Lane near Aston, Hertfordshire.

Gareth Rees · « **Reply #117 on:** 02 February, 2014, 06:58:57 pm »

Last month was the wettest January on record for England, so it's not surprising that rivers are very high at the moment. Left: the River Cam (or Rhee) flooding across the road between Barrington and Shepreth in Cambridgeshire. Right: the ford at Hilton in Cambridgeshire.

andrew_s · « **Reply #118 on:** 13 February, 2014, 11:33:02 pm »

Does this count? (the A417, just before I went through in Nov 2012).
It's not an official ford, but there was a fair flow across from right to left.

I got just past the depth gauge, with the water almost up to the top of my wheel, when I looked down and saw my SON/Edelux on low-rider boss trying to light up the water from the inside, at which point I started carrying the bike.

I had a look this lunchtime, and it was about 8-10 inches deeper than shown, with a considerably faster flow.

Cudzoziemiec · « **Reply #119 on:** 14 February, 2014, 10:48:15 am »

It's looking a bit nasty on the left of the photo. Is that near Fairford?

nikki · « **Reply #120 on:** 16 February, 2014, 11:00:00 pm »

The River Cole this afternoon (we opted for the bridge!):

Disappointingly, the epic flood we detoured to go and ogle at had sorted itself out rather efficiently:

Kim · « **Reply #121 on:** 15 April, 2014, 05:52:29 pm »

I present this one without comment...

(click to show/hide)

andrew_s · « **Reply #122 on:** 15 April, 2014, 06:07:08 pm »

Quote from: Cudzoziemiec on 14 February, 2014, 10:48:15 am

It's looking a bit nasty on the left of the photo. Is that near Fairford?

No, Maisemore just outside Gloucester.
The Severn is split into 2 channels, and the east channel (on the right) is upstream of its weir, but the west channel on the left is downstream of its weir, so you get a difference in water level between the channels and a considerable flow across the fields. The turbulence in the lower left corner is the water flowing across the kerb as the road rises out of the flood. Away from that point the flow is relatively modest - 300m long by 30-40cm deep doesn't need a high rate of flow to shift lots of water.

bumper · « **Reply #123 on:** 15 April, 2014, 06:09:21 pm »

Quote from: Kim on 15 April, 2014, 05:52:29 pm

I present this one without comment...

Did you shout "WEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE" as you rolled through

Cudzoziemiec · « **Reply #124 on:** 16 April, 2014, 08:11:26 pm »

Quote from: andrew_s on 15 April, 2014, 06:07:08 pm

Quote from: Cudzoziemiec on 14 February, 2014, 10:48:15 am
It's looking a bit nasty on the left of the photo. Is that near Fairford?
No, Maisemore just outside Gloucester.
The Severn is split into 2 channels, and the east channel (on the right) is upstream of its weir, but the west channel on the left is downstream of its weir, so you get a difference in water level between the channels and a considerable flow across the fields. The turbulence in the lower left corner is the water flowing across the kerb as the road rises out of the flood. Away from that point the flow is relatively modest - 300m long by 30-40cm deep doesn't need a high rate of flow to shift lots of water.

That's Alney Island then! I've ridden through there loads of times, but I always use the cycle path that runs through the nature reserve and then parallel to the road but on the other side of the hedge - it has various patches mended with a sort of chicken wire and marked "Flood damage! Take care!"