River Medina

The Isle of Wight is England's largest island. The island covers an area of one hundred and forty seven square miles and has sixty miles of coastline.

Although there are seveal streams and brooks located on the Isle of Wight, there are officially only three rivers, the one mile long River West Yar, the twelve mile long, River Medina and the sixteen mile long, River East Yar.

The River Medina, although not the longest of the island's rivers, is considered the island's main river owing to it's water catchment area of twelve square miles.

The River Medina's name comes from the old English word meoune, which means middle one, which alludes to the river's route as it travels through the centre of the island from south to north.

The River Medina starts life in the chalk downs of St Catherine's Down on the island's south coast and travels in a northerly direction for twelve miles before draining into The Solent, a major shipping route situated in the English Channel, located around the island's north coast.

St Catherine's Down is situated at the most southerly point of the island and is a bleak, wind swept, chalk down which sits at an elevation of two hundred and forty meters high, situated between the villages of Niton and Chale. The area is renowned for it's Bronze Age barrow and St Catherine's Oratory, a medieval stone lighthouse known locally as the Pepperpot.

Also located at St Catherine's Down is the twenty seven meter high, St Catherine's Point Lighthouse, which was built in 1837.

The River Medina then goes on to flow through the villages of Blackwater, Shide and Binfield and the island's capital Newport, home to a Roman Villa, the twelth century Sts Thomas Minster, a town quay, a postal museum, Carisbrooke Castle and the notorious Parkhurst and Albany Prisons.

The river then goes on to seperate the two coastal towns of East Cowes and West Cowes, famous for their yachting history, ferry terminal, seven churches and an eighteenth century castle which is home to the Royal Yacht Squadron.

The river's tidal estuary begins at Newport Quay, where the river is served by a bridge and a weir and accompanied by the start of the four mile long, Medina Cycle Path.

At East Cowes the river passes the Classic Boat Museum and is also served by the unusual, Cowes Chain Ferry, a vehicular floating bridge which has been in service since 1859 and takes just three minutes to cross from one side to the other. Also located at Cowes is the nineteenth century, Egypt Point Lighthouse.

The River Medina has two tributaries, the Merston Stream which joins it at the village of Blackwater and the Lukely Brook which joins it at Newport.

The river is a renowned yachting location and is served by several yacht moorings between Newport and Cowes, including the large marinas located at Island Harbour in Newport and Cowes Harbour in West Cowes.

The river is not known for it's fish stocks, but some coarse angling can be done during the Summer months along it's southern reaches.

SOME RIVER MEDINA WEBSITES

ANGLING - www.wightfishing.co.uk

VISITING - www.visitisleofwight.co.uk

YACHTING - www.harbours.co.uk/islandharbour

COWES FERRY - www.cowes.co.uk

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