Views from the Portree Bridge

From the look-off, I drove on to Portree Bridge, from which the photos on this page were taken. Portree Bridge is one of the graceful green truss bridges that has somehow survived the years so far; it is so positioned as to give fine views of the Northeast Margaree River downstream; the upstream views are equally pretty, but the river curves in such a way that only the portion just above the bridge is visible. The pools at Portree Bridge are as popular with fishermen as the bridge is with photographers. There were several there this day, but I managed not to get any in the photos.

Photo #1 is a wide-angled view of the Northeast Margaree River taken from the west side of the Portree Bridge. Because of the clouds to the east, the light was not perfect here and the trees were somewhat more colourful than they appear. Notice again the alternation between pool and “rapids”, with plenty of stony banks thrown up by flows when the river is considerably fuller than it is in this photo.

Photo #2 is also a wide-angled view, this time taken from the east side of the bridge. It benefitted from a burst of sun that brings out the colours in the trees at the centre of the photo, but, sadly, left those further downstream still in the shade. The river was flowing well, as one can see from the leaves on its surface, but not so fast as to badly blur the reflections of the trees in the waters of the river.

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Photo #3 has a medium focal length and looks at the area left of centre in the distance in photo #1, where the river makes an S curve around rock-strewn banks. Unfortunately, the sun isn’t coöperating to light up the trees here, but there are quite good colours in many of the trees on the banks. There’s even one red tree, which appears dark in this view, likely because of residual chlorophyll in its leaves.

Photo #4 looks at a tree caught changing on the hillside east of Portree Bridge. Its canopy is a lovely red-orange, but its lower branches are only beginning to turn. As well, there are birches in the scene showing yellows and greens heading to yellows.

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Photo #5 shows the pretty changing trees on the northwest side of Portree Bridge, where the colours range all over the chart. The Highland seen at the far right is near the Big Intervale Fishing Lodge. The West Big Intervale Road turns to follow the river just past the Portree bridge; it is driveable only a short distance. This piece of the West Big Intervale Road, apparently abandoned many years ago, is on my hiking to-do list; I have followed it only to the point where the Sugarloaf Mountain Trail forks off from it. The Lodge is on the West Big Intervale Road; however, to reach it by car, one must take the East Big Intervale Road to the Big Intervale Bridge and turn south on the West Big Intervale Road there, which is driveable from the Lodge north to Big Intervale and Forest Glen.

Photo #6 is another look at the Northeast Margaree River from Portree Bridge, thhis time looking upstream where the Highland on the west side of the river to Big Intervale is in good view. The little “rapids” left of centre again gives way to a deeper pool at the far right. This is another beautiful spot in the Margarees, which is blessed with them!