Putchers and Kypes on the Severn

There was a bit of joining up to do on our winter walk along the estuarine section of the Severn Way, so we headed for Littleton-on-Severn and Whale Wharf, where a couple of months ago I saw a Beluga (A300-600 Super Transporter). 

It was another brightish day, but this time much more spring-like.

This is the view down to the old Severn bridge ...

... and up to Cowhill Warth and Oldbury Nuclear Power Station.

We were headed for the old bridge - or at least as far as the tide would permit. Luckily, it was low. 

It was an uneventful walk. It helped that the flood defences weren't slippery, so I didn't do any falling over. 

We did come across this former railway wagon-come-salmon hut, now very decrepit. 

I did a bit of research about how the fish were caught when I got home. 

Here you might just be able to see wooden staves driven in to the river bed, to which were attached specially made baskets that trapped

the fish. And here are some others I saw earlier this month on the other side of the estuary at Goldcliff ...

... and some more on the farther side of the old bridge, at Aust. 

This type of fishing is called Putcher fishing after the type of baskets used. (Other baskets, called kypes, were used to catch shrimp and eels.)

There's some interesting information about the practice and its history here and here. 

We maundered on down towards the bridge ...

... and the start of the cliffs at Aust. 

The dog and his boy clambered up to a viewing point, while I sat and watched.

A heron was doing its best impression of a 2D bit of plastic from the garden centre. 

After our breather, we headed back.

Muddy dog