Barnaby Bear at the Fowey Estuary

Barnaby Bear has found the River Fowey at Lostwithiel.

This stone marks the creation of this public land - this area was made so that people can come and enjoy the river. A little downstream from here, Restormal bridge cuts through the park. It carries the A390 over the river and park.There is a walk-way underneath the bridge, so that the park isn't spoiled by the road. Like the bridges in Golitha Wood (a little further upriver), this walkway has wire mesh on it, to stop people from slipping.

There is something else interesting here. Can you see the pipes coming out of the bridge? They are here so that rainwater can run off the road, and into the river. How do you think the dirty streaks got there?

There is also a life belt here, incase any one falls in the river.

At Lostwithiel, something very important happens to the River Fowey. The fresh water that is being carried downstream by the current meets up with salt water, that is washed upstream from the sea, by the tides. The current is very powerful here, but the tide is also very powerful and here, in Lostwithiel, they meet. This is called an estuary, so here, in Lostwithiel, the River Fowey turns into the Fowey Estuary.

On the other side of the bridge, it is easy to see that the water has slowed down, and the river has got much wider.

How many reasons can you think of for the current slowing down?

Because the current is slower, the river doesn't have the energy to carry as much, so it deposits some of it's load. This has caused a build up of silt by the riverbank.

	Plants enjoy this build up, and you can find lots of different reeds growing in the river here.
These plants are enjoyed by the swan that lives here. Hover your mouse over the picture to see upriver - the view that the swan sees.

The bank has been reinforced here. This is to stop the river from eroding the bank. This stops the riverbank from getting any wider.

Here you can see why. The underneath of this riverbank has been eroded by the river. The top of the riverbank has been undercut, and has fallen in because there is no bank to support it underneath. Do you think this is on the inside or outside of a bend? Click here for a clue.

At the other end of the park, further downriver, there is another bridge. This one is much older than the Restormal Bridge. The Lostwithiel Bridge was built in Tudor times (The 16th century).

If you look more closely at one end of the bridge, you can see how the river has changed since tudor times.

Can you predict what this place might look like in 100 years?

There are many signs near this bridge.

(Click on the photo's to see a larger version in a new window.)

This sign tells people which river and bridge is here. Do you know what the symbol on the sign is?

This sign warns heavy vehicles not to cross. The bridge is old, and weak. What other restrictions might there be?

This sign warns that only one vehicle can cross at a time. The bridge is very narrow.
Can you think why the bridge is so narrow?

On the other side of the bridge, there are picnic tables, so that people can sit and enjoy the river whilst they eat. Hover over the photo to see the view downriver.

Can you see there is a wide sandy bank by the river here? Can you think why Barnaby Bear has seen depositions like this after each bridge?

Barnaby Bear notices something else interesting here, by the river. This drain isn't like the others he has seen - it has a flap. He wonders if it channels more water than the others. Can you see where the water from the drain has eroded it's path into the sandy riverbank here?

Barnaby Bear could only walk a little further down the river here.

He wanders past a war memorial...
	...and has a rest on this seat that someone has carved from a tree stump.

He wanders on until he comes across some steps in the wall.

The steps go a long way down the other side of the wall, and end at the river. Barnaby Bear wonders if they have been here for a long time. This would be a good way to unload goods from a boat.

On the other side of the river, the wall is very high, but Barnaby Bear notices lots of ladders leading up the wall. It can't be easy to unload goods up a ladder, so who would want to climb down into the river?

The owners of this boat might! It must be fun to have your boat right outside your back door!

It's time for Barnaby Bear to leave Lostwithiel now. His next stop is a village called Golant, where there are lots of boats. He wonders how the river will have changed there.

Click here to continue along the Fowey to Golant.