Middleton-One-Row to Middlesbrough: E2 Day 64

A long day following the many meanders of the Tees.

For much of the day the Teesdale Way ran close by the river, although the water was often obscured by trees which lined its banks. The river looked dark, deep and dangerous, with hidden undercurrents. Steep, tree lined slopes had been created on the outside arc of meanders where the flowing water had cut into the surrounding, undulating countryside. As the river eroded the landscape over thousands of years it moved sideways leaving a slightly sloping floodplain on the inside of the curves cut by the flow. Apart from the wooded slopes on the outside of the river's bends, all morning I was among farmland but change was approaching in the character of the riverside. The dividing point was perhaps Preston Park where I had lunch. There were a few sights of note in the morning. A round red brick building of obvious age but uncertain purpose. An old aircraft with no wings in a field which I only spotted because a dog walker pointed it out to me. There were also three sculptures which were part of the sculpture trail.

One of the public sculptures looking down on a river meander.

Path beside the Tees

In the afternoon the loops of the river became more extravagant, with areas of lakes, marsh and nature reserves within them. The wooded river bluffs faded and were replaced by urban sprawl. As the path followed the river around the meanders progress was prolonged. Often I was walking away rather than towards my destination for the night. My surroundings became increasingly urban. Initially the houses carefully stayed away from the low marshy ground around the river, but at Stockton-on-Tees the town came down to the riverside. Here the river's banks had been tamed with steel piles. A pleasant promenade had been paved beside the water. Pedestrians could cross to the opposite bank on a new, graceful, cable-stayed bridge. 

Beyond the town were a number of sights, the first was the Infinity Bridge, two arched bridge sections which when reflected in the water look like the infinity symbol. Today no reflections were visible. Next was the Tees Barrage. A large structure designed to keep the water level constant in the river upstream of it and to control flooding. Downstream the river is tidal. Integrated into the barrage is a white water centre where canoeists can slalom through artificial rapids. Sadly the centre was not in use when I passed and because some of the walkways were blocked I had a difficulty getting through it. Finally for today, there was the Newport bridge. A vertical lift bridge in which the road section was lifted to let taller ships through. Dating from 1934 it no longer lifts as larger vessels have stopped plying this part of the river. However in its lowered position it still used by road traffic and pedestrians such as myself crossing the Tees.

Tees Newport Bridge.

After crossing the bridge I made my way to my room for the night, through Middlesbrough's streets of terraced, brick housing with a variety of shops (Polish, Romanian) and cafes and takeaways (Arabic, Chinese) suggesting a cosmopolitan neighbourhood. My bed for the night is near the bold, modern buildings of Teeside University. From the grandeur of the buildings it looked like there was money in education, although I worried about their motto, "Ambition today". What could they deliver? Graduates today all too often do not get a job commensurate with their university costs. Nearby the Muslims, Salvation Army and Christadelphians had buildings, offering a different type of future.

Typical Middlesbrough street.

Although my 20 miles today is on the long side, I was more tired, with aching feet than I felt I should have been, especially as the elevation gain was not great. Maybe the lingering effect of my cold. As I get older infections seem more common and last longer than in my younger days. At least it was not only my left knee affected. My accommodation was not great, which was maybe why I drank two pints of beer at a nearby, convivial student pub in the evening rather than my usual one.