Houghton Brook from the M1 to the River Lea

Yesterday I cycled along the footpath beside Houghton Brook from the M1 to where it joins the River Lea in Leagrave Park, a very pleasant sunny outing.  I even met two readers of this blog on the way!

 

 

Having cycled under the motorway, Houghton Brook appears on the left and is at first contained by concrete.

The new housing has been built on what was a large grassy field.

A thick hedgerow rich with autumn fruits overhangs the stream.

Grassy banks shelter small mammals like voles and provide food for insects and butterflies.

From this point onwards tall trees shade the stream till it reaches Toddington Road.

 

Vincent Road

Looking back round the bend as it turns to run alongside Toddington Road.

Emerging from the trees it then runs alongside Knapps Farm Leisure Gardens.



 

 



These 'trash pins' in the foreground collect rubbish before the stream flows through pipes (below) under Toddington Road, the railway line and Sundon Park Road.

 

This is where Houghton Brook emerges in Leagrave Park.

 

 

 

Here it begins to look more like a river and after a short distance it flows into the River Lea at a T-junction not far from its source at Wauluds Bank.

 

 

This picture taken in March shows the confluence more clearly, the swan marking the spot!