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Flowers, updates and floating humans

With the dry weather continuing, we returned to Rickerby Park in Carlisle but this time headed back towards Eden Bridge.

It seemed that many dogs were taking their humans for a walk along the riverbank and we said hello to them in our customary way.

We came upon our first floating humans this morning, and I have to say they looked rather funny. 

They were in the river, in front of the Sands Centre, and they had a single brightly coloured leg which was stuck out in front of them.  

They bobbed around on the water using their arms to waggle a stick firstly to the left, then the right as they attempted to swim upstream.

Don’t they know that it is much easier to swim with the flow of water and that sticks are for fetching!

Our walk continued up to Eden Bridge where we turned right and climbed the small bank up to the ornate gardens.

Eden Bridge Gardens, or known locally as the Chinese Gardens, are actually Italian inspired and are undergoing a large amount of restoration work.

A scheme, funded by The Heritage Lottery Fund, started in October 2008 and will result in the gardens returning to their former glory.

Behind the formal garden, with the covered seating area, is a pond and embankment.

This area has all been cleared of dead shrubs and overgrowth and is allowing light back down to soil level with the result that long forgotten plants can now flourish.

Charlie inspected the crocus, daffodils and iris from his vantage point overlooking Scotland Road, whilst I took a bit of a rest on some bark chippings nearby.

You can read more about the gardens over at Heritage and History  where my mum writes regularly about the restoration work.

Leaving the park and traveling into town across then under Eden Bridge, we noticed the path, which had been previously closed for flood defence work, had reopened.

This path had been closed since August as work to create a flood barrier was carried out.  We have reported many times on this work and it was great to see all the metal grills have been removed and we can take a close inspection of the work.

Charlie, as always, was out in front and was impressed with the finished re-aligned  subway entrance.

White capped walls and soil embankments give the whole project a natural feeling and Buster and I agree that it is much improved from the old main road crossing point.  

Charlie inspected the new steps and the ramp and took a good look at the pristine white coping stones wondering how long it would be before some human came along with a marker pen or a spray can and made their mark.

Now we just wait for the underpass to be cleaned up and improved so it looks as professional as this new installation.

Work continues on the flood defences elsewhere in the city with the builders recently moving in to an area to the rear of the Sands Centre.

Our circular route took us next in to Victoria Park and we were greeted with a path lined with colour.

Thousands of crocus flowers had erupted since our last visit and now provided the park with a carpet of purple, white and yellow flowers.

Dad took the chance to take many photographs, as these little fragile signs of spring only last a few days.

Our walk was almost at an end as we returned back into Rickerby Park but not before we noticed a new gate had been installed.

We mentioned a few weeks ago that a new sculpture had appeared in the park, well these new gates are part of the same project.

Being a bit wider than the old gates allows for buggies to get through a little easier for athletic dogs like Charlie to get underneath.

 

That is all for now.

Until next time

Buster and Charlie

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