The Geography Department
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The Geography Department |
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Stour Estuary and Brantham December 2004
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Reeds grow around backwaters, behind the river embankments.
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The footpath from to the river runs from metalled lane next to the church, over the railway and down a steep, but well-marked path. |
Frozen backwaters in between the reeds.
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The footpath sign just before the river and its embankment. |
The view from the embankment, looking towards the east .. |
.. and with clear evidence of evolving salt marshes along the shore. |
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Here the security of the salt marshes seems secure, and they have built up well against the stone-faced embankments. |
A view of the open water behind the embankment.
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Looking back to the east, showing both embankment and salt marsh.
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A channel across the intertidal mud. |
These photos show the salt marsh under considerable pressure at a number of locations. There appears to be erosion of the vegetation over a considerable area. |
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The meandering stream cannel has developed in this homogeneous material (mud) at a very low slope angle, an ideal situation. Manningtree can be seen against the wintry light on the south side of the estuary. |
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The sea wall to the south, with Manningtree in the background.
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Some vegetation, in this case a scrubby tree, has been allowed to infiltrate the stone-faced seaward side of the embankment. |
The footpath climbs over the railway embankment.
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The railway from Manningtree-Ipswich running over the estuary - looking towards Essex. |
The ICI Imagedata factory can be seen .. |
.. from the vantage of the railway tracks.
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A transect view from the embankment, over the open water, marsh and rough ground to the railway embankment, and the factory beyond. |
The valley side here has been ploughed, almost, for arable.
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A view towards the railway as it enters a cutting. The land has been improved here, for arable, whilst the line of trees mark the route back to the church. |
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The sewage treatment works at Brantham, with the Decoy Pond in the background.
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The London-Norwich main line at Brantham, scene of a landslip some years ago, which blocked the line for some time.
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The northern shore of the River Stour, immediately upstream of Cattawade. 800-P1010094.JPG 61KB
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The reconstructed bridge across the Stour at Cattawade. |
An estuary, such as the Stour, with its associated wetlands, has obvious attractions as a source of food for birdlife. |
The Stour valley at Cattawade. |
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