It's time to help nature reclaim our mighty river

BEING Nottingham born and bred I've long been fascinated by the River Trent.

- By ERIN MCDAID

As a child I enjoyed trips to the Embankment to fish opposite County Hall. As an adult I’ve taken trips on the Nottingham Princess along the Embankment and nervously navigated the Trent/Derwent confluence in an old, underpowered, cabin cruiser.

More recently I've canoed from the Trent up the lower reaches of it’s tributary, the River Dove, and taken summer dips at Farndon. I've also enjoyed countless walks along its banks, whether at Gunthorpe, Fiskerton or Newark.

I've marvelled at its stately power as it meanders through the Nottinghamshire landscape, avidly read of its influence on our heritage and culture - whether as the ancient boundary between north and south (thankfully I live the right side of Trent Bridge to be regarded as a northerner!); the fact that the ‘tide’ that King Canute was attempting to turn back was the Aegir = the Trent’s very own tidal bore; or that ‘The Meadows’ or as locals might say ‘The Medduz’ - were once covered in swathes of bright purple-blue crocuses brought to England from alpine regions of Europe by Cluniac Monks eight centuries ago.