Nature in the heart of town

It always surprises me just how pretty and natural-looking the canal is through the centre of Bingley. Surprising because it is so urban, cutting right through the centre of the town, and surprising because this is a relatively new stretch. The canal was moved sideways in 2003 to make room for the new, congestion-relieving 'bypass' - a fast dual-carriageway that also slices right through the town! Here there are reedbeds, right beside the old mill buildings, with yellow flag iris blooming and a lone swan gliding serenely.

The cow parsley nods along the water's edge, its lacy white flower heads showing up well against the dark water.

There are wild pink roses:

and some red valerian, a garden escape rather than a native British wildflower, but now naturalised and very common in our urban spaces, flowering in bright drifts and splashes of red and pink.

(All phone pics - not great quality when you zoom in!)