Eden Bridge Park
Location: The car park,
river access point / canoe steps, and picnic area on the west side of
the River Eden adjacent to the Eden Bridge in Lazonby Parish. GR
NY549403
Background:
In 2004 in a partnership project between The Eden Rivers Trust, the
British Canoe Union, Lazonby Parish Council, and the Environment
Agency, a canoe access point was established at the car park and picnic
area adjacent to Eden Bridge at Lazonby. The facility includes steps to
the river's edge and a launching and landing platform. The facility is
very well used, providing extensive safe parking for the transport
vehicles of canoeists and supporters, as well as for other casual
visitors to the river bank. The location is generally regarded as
providing one of the prettiest easily accessible viewpoints of the
river and the fine sandstone bridge (built in 1762).
The parking area is also used by
fishermen using fishing licences provided by Lazonby Parish Council,
and by visitors to the adjacent picnic site which contains an Eden
Benchmark sculpture.
From time to time the area is subject to inundation
from the river as it overflows its banks. On average this happens
perhaps once a year.
Project Outline: The car
park area has suffered some erosion, movement of base material, and
pot-holing, and is in need of some repair.
Also, the post and rail fence that is between the car
park and the top of the river bank has rotted in places and the Parish
Council is seeking to repair / replace the fence. The above photos show
the first stage of the work being done by fencing contractors on 21st
January 2009 with grant funding from the Environment Agency
The river bank area which is
overgrown with brushwood and weeds is also in need of some husbandry
prior to replacement of the fence.
These three elements of work will serve to considerably
enhance the view to the river and the bridge, and will consequently
increase the satisfaction level of all visitors.
Project Costs:
Approximately £1000.00 - £1500.00
Project Time
Scale: Early /mid 2009.
These pictures show how further project work was carried out in May
2009 when contractors Metcalfe Plant of Penrith filled in pot holes and
reinstated the surface of the river access and car parking area with
recycled road planings. They also positioned sandstone boulders,
sourced from anothe part of the parish at no extra cost, to better
guide traffic into the area and to protect the grass verges. This means
that along with the fencing works that were carried out earlier in the
year, this project is now completed, making this river access facility
more attractive and convenient for all to use and enjoy.
