On 12th July I blogged about a section of the recently opened Troop Loop being closed for resurfacing. I am pleased to report that the works now appear to be finished and the path is once again open for business. Furthermore, the first signs of spring are starting to appear with the prunus trees bursting into bloom along the newly sealed section of the path, giving the impression of walking through a garden.
This section of the track has always been one of my favourites at this time of year and in times past I have made a point of heading down with the camera. This year, due to the track resurfacing things look a little different. The character of this end of the trail has changed somewhat. I always liked the fact that this end of the river trail with its unsealed, gravel path and industrial backdrop felt less urban than other parts of the river through town, but with the opening of the new Breakwater Bridge (resulting in a significant increase in traffic noise) and the newly-laid bitumen, I suspect that this atmosphere has been somewhat diminished.
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| The track in September, 2010 |
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| The track in August, 2012 |
In addition to the changes to the track itself, it is interesting to note the difference a month can make to the plant life. In the 2010 photo, the pink flowering prunus in the foreground has already dropped its petals and leaves have appeared whilst the white flowering tree behind is in full bloom. In the 2012 photo I took last week, the pink prunus is in bloom with the white tree yet to flower so it looks like I will have to make a return trip in a month or so to take some progress shots. There also appears to have been some pruning of the native trees in the foreground in the intervening years.
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| A close up. |
In the meantime, here is a detail shot of a nearby prunus I took during a quick return visit today during a rain shower.
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