Lovely pics Tinx makes me want to be there so much.
Sally that pipe used to be covered in some sort of make shift planking so we used to "brave" it and go across like you say it is a good shortcut, we did it one night and I had really high wedge shoes on (stupid I know) I slipped down the bank before i even got to the pipe and banged my head on the ground really hard, there was an old Turkish man waiting to cross the other side he mumbled something to himself as I passed seeing stars and all sorts from my bang on the head which sounded rather like "Idiot"! would be brilliant if another bridge was erected at this point in the river to cut out walking up and then back down on yourself.