Where Two Rivers Meet

The Rivers Avon and Stour flow their separate ways from Wiltshire to meet at Christchurch, Dorset. Here they form Christchurch Harbour before joining the sea.

I spent many memorable summer holidays here as a child, my parents would rent a beach hut which we’d visit daily, eating fish and chips from newspaper, crab fishing, flying kites, antagonizing ant nests with twigs and consuming our bodyweight in ice cream. We loved the area so much our family moved here when I was thirteen. I left home at eighteen, but those intervening years were full of adventures, either in, on, or around the water of those two rivers.

My Mum passed away in March 2018, having lived near Christchurch for nearly 40 years. She had numerous spells in hospital towards the end of her life and between visits I’d photograph the area where I grew up. I’d never considered photographing here before, I’m sure Mum's death stirred some desire to reconnect with my childhood.

These images, taken over a number of summers, are seen from a very nostalgic viewpoint, I hope they give a flavour of this unique spot on the South Coast of England.