Lune Millennium Bridge

Alex and I travelled up to Lancaster today, ready to carry out a monitoring visit at Claughton Brickworks tomorrow. This was originally planned for last August, but we didn't get permission and by the time the owners gave the go-ahead, Covid-19 restrictions made travelling and staying overnight impossible.

I normally go with Pete, but he's still recovering from the autoimmune response to the Covid jab, so Alex stepped in. Our normal accommodation, just up the road from the brickworks, was closed so we ended up staying in the Royal Hotel in the middle of the city. The check in was Covid safe and the room was immaculate - sadly the bar and restaurant were shut so we had to head out into the city to try and find dinner.

It was a glorious evening so we did a circuit which included the Lancaster canal, the Cathedral, the Castle and the River Lune.  This is a view of the Millennium Bridge which was opened in 2001. It was designed by Whitby Bird and Partners, and built at a cost of £1.8m to commemorate the millennium of 2000. The bridge forms a "Y"-shape in plan to connect one bank both to a viaduct and adjacent quay. Its double pylon seeks to act as a reminder of the masted ships which previously used the quay. It features a main gangway of just over 30 metres and masts around 40 metres tall.

A few of the riverside pubs were very busy, but all tables were booked. The range of take-away food shops open in the evening was rather limited, so we ended up purchasing Doner kebabs, which we ate at a table in the gated courtyard of the hotel, in splendid isolation. It was good to have time for a long chat too.