Large clumps of balsam always grow by the Church Road bridge and scattered throughout the undergrowth on the Meadow Mead side of the river opposite the community orchard. When river levels are low, these areas can be reached from the river bed though care must be taken to avoid deep spots and the bank can be a bit tricky to climb in places. It’s also possible to cut a way down from Meadow Mead though fallen branches and occasionally dumped garden waste can make it hard work. Despite these challenges, on a very warm Midsummer’s Day we cleared the riverbanks by the community orchard then returned to wade up the river to access the big clump by the bridge. The balsam was fairly tall and a few flowers were starting to appear.

Looking downriver from the bridge

Balsam cleared by Church Road bridge