From the cathedral the road leads to the river. We go down the steps past the moored barges and are greeted by a succession of quacks and peeps from ducks and the deeper, almost lamenting cry of whooper swans.

The avenue of willows, sentinels to the river and guardians of shade, are stirring, scores of tiny buds turning their weeping limbs golden in the afternoon sunlight. Spring is in the air, soon all will be verdant, pulsing with life.