rock

CN

Belle Isle 河州公园

Belle Isle 的河岸风光,远处同时有火车通过。

Belle Isle是位于James River下游浅河床上的一个无人岛。在美国内战期间岛上有人居住,并建立了一座战争监狱和一个村庄。在随后的20世纪,这里被用作一个水力发电站场地,直到1963年水电站被废弃。如今,作为一个州政府拥有的地块,Belle Isle成为了一个城市公园。这里拥有优美的风景,清爽的空气,还有各种野生动物以及它们的自然居住场所。公园最引人注目的地方在于,这一切景观离里士满市中心地区仅有数分钟的距离。Belle Isle可以通过一座位于Robert E. Lee大桥下面的悬索桥进入,步行或骑车均可。如果James River(詹姆斯河)的水位不是太高,Belle Isle也可以由河的南岸进入,通过跳石头的方式。在Belle Isle上,人们可以欣赏到Browns Island(布朗岛),Forest Hill(森林山)公园,旧Tredegar铁器厂,以及里士满城市的天际线。Belle Isle有数条徒步或骑车路径,在路径之上,还有很多旧建筑和铁路的遗址可供观赏和体验。

游客通过悬索桥进入Belle Isle。

游客通过悬索桥进入Belle Isle。

水电站旧址。

因为Belle Isle有足够的植被,同时免受频繁的人类活动的干扰,岛上有不少野生动物。这是一个不寻常的城市中心之景。各种鸣鸟,水鸭,鸬鹚和蓝鹭都比较常见,同时,松鼠等小型哺乳动物,以及一些两栖及爬行动物也在岛上居住。Belle Isle是一个周末休闲及户外活动的安全好去处。大人和小朋友都喜欢的热门活动包括路径徒步,在James River上游泳,跳石头,晒太阳,观鸟,划独木舟和小船,以及在石头上野餐 — 同时近距离欣赏数米外的急流。

连接Belle Isle和詹姆斯河的石头河床。

里士满,新旧交融之地。

里士满,新旧交融之地。

Belle Isle入口风光。

Belle Isle同时靠近另一个开放的草地公园—布朗岛(Browns Island)。在布朗岛上人们可以观看城市的工业结构,在James River河床亲水,参观历史场所(旧Tredegar铁器厂,如今弗吉尼亚内战纪念中心),参加徒步路径,以及音乐会等。一年一度的里士满乡村音乐节在此举行。风景优美的T. Tyler Potterfield步行桥连接着布朗岛和James River的南岸。这条步行桥平行着内战期间的Mayo桥的遗址。在水位不是太高的情况下,James River的南岸也可以到达Belle Isle,把两座岛屿和河岸连在一起。这两座岛屿,以及桥梁和历史遗址,共同组成了一个休闲娱乐教育场所。它们是是James River公园系统的一部分,并且是里士满城市的皇冠。

布朗岛风光:

时间:
全年开放。
8:30 am – 9:30 pm (夏季)
8:30 am – 5:30 pm (冬季)

布朗岛地址(可以在此通过悬索桥进入Belle Isle):
S 7th St, Richmond, VA 23219

网站:
Bells Isle: http://www.jamesriverpark.org/visit-the-park/getting-there.php
Browns Island: http://www.brownsisland.com/

 

ENG

Belle Isle

Belle Isle river bank with train passing.

Belle Isle is an uninhabited island on the shallow beds of James River. It hosted a village and a prison during the Civil War, and hosted a hydroelectric power plant in the 20th century until 1963. Now, being owned by the state, Belle Isle serves as a scenic city park with wildlife in its natural habitat, as a location only a few minutes away from the heart of downtown Richmond city. The island is open to pedestrian and bicycle traffic via a suspension footbridge that runs under the Robert E. Lee Bridge from the northern shore of the James. Except when the water level of the James River is high, Belle Isle is also reachable by foot from the southern shore via easy boulder-hopping. From Belle Isle, people can observe Browns Island, Hollywood Cemetery, Forest Hill park, the old Tredegar Iron Works, and Richmond City's skyline. Belle Isle has several bike and foot trails around the island, with many old and ruined buildings, among other run-down sites and railways along the trails.

The suspension bridge entrance.

The suspension bridge entrance.

Because Belle Isle contains enough vegetation, without the interference of constant human activities, the island is home to several wildlife, an uncommon presence within the city's borders. Songbirds, ducks, cormorants and blue herons are a common sight. Squirrels, other small mammals, amphibians and reptiles also inhabit the island. Belle Isle is a great place for safe weekend getaways and outdoor adventures. Popular activities of adults and youths alike include walking the trails, swimming in the James River, rock jumping, sunbathing, birdwatching, kayaking and rafting in the James, and boulder-top picnicking only feet away from fierce rapids.

Belle Isle is close to the open, grassy Browns Island as another city park. Browns Island offers industrial structures and waterway views, historical sites (the old Tredegar Iron Works, now Virginia Civil War Center), walking paths, and concerts. The yearly Richmond Folk Music Festival takes places here. The scenic T. Tyler Potterfield Pedestrian Bridge connects Browns Island to the southbank of James River. The pedestrian bridge runs alongside with the remains of the old Mayo bridge from the Civil War era. The southbank of James River also provides connection to Bells Isle when the water level is not high. These two islands, bridges and historical sites function as a recreational and educational complex, as part of the James River Park system, and the crown of Richmond city.

Richmond, old and new.

Richmond, old and new.

Views from Browns Island:

Hours
Open 365 days a year.
8:30 am – 9:30 pm (summer)
8:30 am – 5:30 pm (winter)

Address (Browns Island, access to Belle Isle via suspension bridge)
S 7th St, Richmond, VA 23219

Website
Bells Isle: http://www.jamesriverpark.org/visit-the-park/getting-there.php
Browns Island: http://www.brownsisland.com/