Tuesday 16 April 2013

DANGER TO PADDLERS AT FESHIE BRIDGE ~ April to July 2013.


In the last couple of days, the wonderful Scottish snows of 2013 ~ until a couple of days ago forming a playground for skiers ~ has, in the sudden warm temperatures, quickly melted ~ the melt-water transforming Highland rivers into raging torrents.

For water-sporters who like their water shaken and stirred, once such river, with relatively easy access is the attractive, lively River Feshie ~ paddled by mainly acrobatic ‘play-boaters’ accessing by Achlean Croft and journeying on down to the Feshie’s confluence with the majestic Spey.

Included in the lower part of this section of this river is the very picturesque Feshie Bridge. Following recent surveys this historic stone bridge has been judged to be in serious need of immediate repair. The road has not been closed for ongoing work but rather, an intricate lacing of scaffolding has been erected on either side of the bridge causing no impediment to traffic.

However, the scaffolding poles, erected in recent weeks, when water-levels were unseasonally low, reach down almost to the ‘low-water mark’. Now that the Feshie is filled to torrent level with the melt-waters of the snows, the scaffolding metal-work, (including thick, horizontal poles) ~ at times under water, poses a lethal hazard to paddlers.

Paddlers looking to enjoy the Feshie, especially in these ideal conditions of swollen waters, are advised to avoid Feshie Bridge at all costs.

(Water-sporters should be aware that they are always welcome to access/egress the Feshie via grounds of (even stay at!) City of Edinburgh’s excellent outdoor centre ~ Lagganlia ~ http://www.lagganlia.com/

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