With thanks to Robin, some photos of the local turtle / terrapin / sea monster*. Any suggestion for names? Apparently this was taken at some risk, possibly of being viciously snapped.

It has been around for a few years now, and can be found sunning himself by the banks in the Summer. Presumably it hibernatates in the winter.

And finally, the building works on the retaining wall are well in progress:

*I am a canoeist not a zoologist.