RSPB Rye Meads & The Rye House

The colours of Autumn, across the river Lee

On a warm and Sunny day, we headed for Rye Meads reserve on the river Lee.  We arrived via the sewage plant, with the associated smells.  They persisted at the visitor centre, but the guide told us they would 'come and go'.  Happily, they soon went.  

Rye Meads has been built on the old settlement ponds, the area is shared by the RSPB and Middlesex Wildlife Trust.  You can get from the RSPB side to the MWT side, but not back.  The site has been built to encourage Kingfishers; it was not our lucky day. Still, neither of us have seen a kingfisher properly. There are plenty of hides and plenty of birds, but we seem to be further from them than we are at other locations.  Still, a few reasonable pictures were taken:

A Mute Swan and its reflection

A coot, after a dive

There was plenty of vegetation too:

I have identified this as Himalayan Balsam, from a plant ID site

Lastly, there are various different seats available as we walk 'there and back'.  Most are just regular seats, one or two are special, this is the most special and is a real work of art.

The Redwood seat

After our walk, we had a chat with the (now different) guy in the visitor centre.  He identified me as someone who takes pictures and identifies them when I get home.  He was spot on.  We also asked him where a good pub for food could be found. He suggested the Rye House as it is nearest, so off we went.  It is a Green King pub, so I tried a pint of Bonkers Conkers. 

Tasting Notes (from the website)
A complex beer full of fruity aromas and taste. The biscuity malt adds body and warmth.
ABV: Draught 4.1%
Malt: Pale Malt, Crystal Malt, Amber Malt
Hops: Admiral, Pilgrim, Goldings, First Gold, Fuggles, Bramling Cross

A nice, easy to drink beer.  Now, the downside, not of the beer, but the Green King pub.  Download the App to order.  Did that - nice and quick, as we have 5G.  Got all the food in the order, then it wants a table number.  Our table does not have one, so we move.  Our table number is not accepted.  Back to the bar, and a real person.  She, too, is having trouble with the technology, but eventually gets the order in.  The estimate is 20 minutes; the food arrives inside 15 minutes.  BUT - no peas on Jo's plate.  Rather than wait, we share the peas I have.  Later, the server returns and apologises for the mistake - there should have been peas.  She offers us a cup of tea as compensation, which we happily accept.  

Who does that these days?  Well, thankfully there are still some dedicated, diligent people working in our pubs. It quite made the visit!