IMAGES TAKEN NEAR TO
Harling Road, DUNSTABLE, LU6 2JB

This is quite a substantial watercourse for this area. The underlying chalk tends to allow most water to drain to deep subterranean aquifers, making decent-sized streams and rivers quite a rarity. This one is particularly wide here - considerably wider indeed than the River Ouzel into which it eventually flows - but I think this width may be as a result of human activity as this stream once supplied several mills including Edlesborough Mills (to the south) and Bellows Mill - a little way ahead of this view. For a view of this stream upstream see Image], and it crossing the road as a ford in Image] & Image]

This ford is on a back lane to the southeast of the village of Edlesborough. The stream is flowing roughly northwards at this point, i.e. from right to left as we look at this. The Mills mentioned in the title are long disused, and have I think been converted to housing. This earlier photo for this square Image] is taken from much the same place and shows a car splashing through the ford. For views from the other compass points see Image] Image] & Image]

Looking in precisely the opposite direction to Image] this substantial stream can be seen flowing from left to right across the road. This stream eventually joins the River Ouzel - though if it continues at this breadth it must be the bigger watercourse when they meet. See also Image] & Image] for views up and down the stream taken from the middle of the ford.

This is the stream which can be seen crossing the road as a ford in Image] & Image The view southwards is upstream and is therefore looking in the direction of the former Edlesborough Mills, which (I think) can be seen ahead - now converted to housing. This stream obviously provided the power for those mills, though next door is a disused windmill for alternative energy perhaps. The ducks seen ahead - one white and one mallard drake - were just gliding over the road as I approached in the car. For the view downstream see Image]

This ford is found at Eaton Bray near Edlesborough on the Bedfordshire border with Buckinghamshire. I am advised by the Parish Clerk at Eaton Bray Parish Council that the boundary line was amended in 1985 by the Government Boundary Commission for England and the ford lies in Bedfordshire.

Ford part of the River Ouzel on the road into Edlesborough

With a raised walkway on the right.

With interesting wooden hurdles fitted in the stream bed to, reduce erosion or flow, I assume.

A car splashes through this ford on a minor road just outside Edlesborough village. The stream forms the boundary between Buckinghamshire (this side) and Bedfordshire.