Views of and at Long Johns Bridge

Another place that I find so appealing that I drive there on every opportunity (I normally travel this way from Port Hood to Judique even though it is considerably longer) is the bridge over the Southwest Mabou River in Upper Southwest Mabou. Known as Long Johns Bridge (I have no idea how it came by that name, but I’m sure there’s a good story there to be unearthed), the bridge itself is pretty utilitarian and clearly not the original, but the views of the Southwest Mabou River to be had from it are fine in every season and always very different from one visit to the next, given the very different water levels and flows the river can display. Although I have since viewed two locations closer to its source in the Bornish Hills to the south, both those are on private land requiring permission (and directions) from the owners to visit, so this remains the most upstream publicly accessible spot from which to view this beautiful river.

Photo #1 is a sideways view of Long Johns Bridge taken from the Rear Intervale Road, also known as the Judique Intervale Road, which leads off though Hillsdale to Judique. This road ends just before the bridge at an intersection that also marks the ends of the Upper Southwest Mabou and Glencoe Roads. As can be seen here, the bridge sits well above the river, which is fortunate as the waters here following a prolonged downpour can reach a good way up the abutment and I’d guess that the spring run-off can reach even higher.

Photo #2 was taken from the east side of the bridge looking across it to the intersection. The Upper Southwest Mabou Road starts at that intersection and curves to the right, heading for River Centre, Glencoe Station, and Port Hood. The Rear Intervale Road is the left turn beyond the bridge. The Glencoe Road, on which I’m standing, leads to Glencoe Mills.

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Photo #3 was taken from the middle of Long Johns Bridge looking upstream. The flow on this day was fuller than it would be later in the summer, which was a very dry year, but not particularly high: many small boulders can be seen with their tops dry—they would be submerged with a higher water level. On the other hand, it was not so low that it looked like you could cross on the stones without getting your feet wet, as it sometimes appears at the end of a dry spell. Although the greens in photo #1 and those at the left of this photo appear summery, those where the river curves to the left are displaying hues that attest to their newness, as do several of the faintly reddish-hued leaves on the tree at the right getting a full blast of sun.

Photo #4 was taken from the east end of the bridge standing on the abutment looking down at the river close at hand. Here the water is considerably more agitated than it looked in photo #3, where the focus was further upstream. One definitely couldn’t walk across here this day without getting one’s feet wet!

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Photo #5, a wide-angled view, shows the Southwest Mabou River looking downstream from Long Johns Bridge. This lovely view, which is even more so in its fall foliage, will, I am sure, be familiar to readers of these essays. Yet it is one to which I am drawn over and over again for its peace and beauty.

Photo #6 is a telephoto view of the area at the upper middle left of photo #5. The river bed littered with stones attests to the currents in the river which have pushed them aside out of the main flow. The foliage here too displays signs of its recent advent, particularly at the centre and centre left where its colours are a lovely lighter green. A beautiful river in a beautiful time of year, indeed!