52 Walks in 2010 - Walk 3 - Bedford (17th January 2010)

Today turned out to be a lovely sunny day. The snow has all gone and so we decided to venture into the County town of Bedford for an urban walk beside the River Ouse. Having parked our car we headed for the riverside. On our way we passed this statue. It was donated to the town last September by the Italian community, who have settled in Bedford over the years, in recognition of its welcoming spirit, which has enabled them to thrive. The statue represents the narrative of the immigrant and the forces of a changing world represented through a series of larger-than-life size figures.



We crossed 'Bedford Bridge' - I liked how the Park Inn Hotel reflected in the water.



A short walk further along the river we passed the 'Bedford Suspension Bridge'. The Suspension Bridge was constructed in 1888. The opening ceremony was performed by the Marquis of Tavistock





We took some wild bird food with us which Lara enjoyed feeding to the swans, cygnets and geese. The geese however seemed reluctant to eat it - I think they're probably more used to being feed bread.

Whilst feeding the birds, a couple of rowing boats went past with their coach riding long the bank shouting instructions to the crew.

Later we past the boathouse where a couple of boats not being used were outside.

To get back to the car we crossed the river on the 'Butterfly Bridge'. Completed in 1998, the pedestrian bridge was the winning entry in a British design competition that asked designers to design a new bridge, a memorable landmark representing the end of the 20th century and the beginning of the 21st century. The bridge was officially named and opened by Prince Charles in June 1998.