Devon TRF Group Forum

I wanted to cycle through Jetty Marsh today. My first inkling there might be problems came when I saw the dam which is supposed to protect the lower part of the nature reserve from flooding was about a foot under water, in line with the ripples on this photo

Then the path I wanted to use went downhill slightly, about five feet under quite fast flowing water

After a detour past the old mine by the new hospital I crossed the long bridge between flooded fields with white swans rather than white charolais cattle today

On the humpback bridge over the canal were two cones and a damp prospect ahead with water midway between the one and two foot depth markers. I would not hesitate to cross 18 inches of water but this was flowing fast across the road and looked very dangerous. This motorcyclist and I decided against risking it. I would not have hesitated had I been on the CRM 250 instead of the e-bike.

I moved the cones aside for a snorkel equipped 4x4 to pass

And replaced them after the big wheeled tractor had splashed through the other way. His bow wave was nearly as high as his cab as he sped through quite unperturbed by the flood, although he did slow to avoid swamping some walkers.

My route ran between these trees, and I will ride there another day

So it was a shorter ride than planned but worth the effort to see such a spectacle