at Whitby, with many marinas being located on the east bank of the river as it approaches the North Sea. Canoeing and kayaking can be enjoyed on almost any stretch of the River Esk (including its tributaries like Eller Beck), but is mostly undertaken between Houlsyke and Egton Bridge, Egton and Sleights and Ruswarp and Whitby. These are all located between two sets of weirs each. Local rod fishing associations have access on the River Esk to almost of riverside fishing. Most of these stretches are on banks where there is no public access. Bridges The River Esk has several notable and listed bridges on its stretch. From upstream to downstream they are; Beggars Bridge at Glaisdale (a high-arched packhorse bridge built in the 17th century), the Bowstring road bridge at Ruswarp, Larpool Viaduct between Ruswarp and Whitby, the A171 road bridge and the swing bridge in Whitby town. Many of the bridges in the valley had to be rebuilt after floods in 1828, 1880 and 1930. The present bowstring bridge in Ruswarp dates from 1933 when Cleveland Bridge & Engineering Company opened up a new bridge to replace one swept away in 1930. Industry The river was not used for shipping save for the area in and around Whitby harbour (which was notable for its whale industry and its shipbuilding). Whilst coal was mined in upper Eskdale, it was not found in sufficient quantities to be used in the alum industry; coal was trans-shipped in from Tyneside and Wearside for this. Hand in hand with the shipbuilding industry, was the ropery works that nestled around the harbour. Whitby's last official ropery was on the south side of Spital Beck. This area was also host to shipbuilding and timber processing plants, but most of this industry was defunct by the First World War. At Boghall and Larpool, the river was diverted in 1833 to accommodate the railway between Whitby and Pickering. This area was also the location of a whale blubber rendering plant, which was said to have afflicted the town with an awful stench. Further upstream at the tidal limit of Ruswarp, mills were placed on the weir to grind corn. The first one was constructed in 1752, with the last being used as a mill in 1962. In 2012, a hydro-electric plant was constructed on the weir to generate green energy for the local area. Currently, Whitby is