JennyOwen

By JennyOwen

All about the Kelham Island 'goit'

Ages ago I'd booked onto a lunchtime 'nature walk' at Kelham Island museum, near the centre of town.  A 'goit' - or mill race - runs alongside the museum.  The corn mill in question is long gone, but the goit, and the nearby weir that directed water to it, date back to Norman times.
Today's walk was about plant and animal life in and around the goit.  It now offers a relatively protected zone to both, with a mix of water, marshy bank and shady areas. 
Our guide was Dr Dave Buttle, (see extra) a retired academic who lives in the area; some of Kelham's industrial buildings have now been converted into apartments, and some new buildings have been added too. It's an interesting neighbourhood, where some small-scale industry survives alongside the trendy flats, bars and restaurants.
It was a lovely way to spend a sunny hour or so. We learned about various different types of willow, along with a range of wild flowers, reeds and grasses.  Apparently it's popular with urban foxes, so I'd like to go back in an early morning, if I can, to see whether I can spot any.

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