River Wye

Image courtesy of Ostrich, wikimedia commons

There are three rivers which go by the name Wye. The eleven mile long, River Wye in Buckinghamshire, the fifteen mile long River Wye in Derbyshire and the one hundred and eighty five mile long River Wye which runs between England and Wales.

The name Wye has two meanings. The English Wye has Roman origins and comes from the verb vaga, which means to roam or to wander.

The word Wye in Welsh comes from the word gwyr, which means crooked hills.

RIVER WYE, BUCKINGHAMSHIRE

The River Wye in Buckinghamshire is a tributary of the River Thames which travels for just eleven miles from it's source at Bradenham in the Chiltern Hills to where it meets with the River Thames at Bourne End, pictured above.

The river passes through the village of Bradenham, famous for it's thirteenth century manor house, Bradenham Hall, the town of West Wycombe, famous for West Wycombe Park and Country House, West Wycombe Hill, with it's eighteeth century, Dashwood Mausoleum, and the man made, Hellfire Caves, before passing beneath the market town of High Wycombe, then flowing on to pass the sixteenth century Pann Mill watermill and pumping station and then on through the villages of Woodburn, Loudwater and on to Bourne End, see above image, where it meets with the River Thames on the Buckinghamshire / Berkshire border.

During it's past the entire length of the river was renowned for being the site of at least twenty five water mills, with water from the river powering saw mills, paper mills, corn mills and fulling mills. Today just the Pann Mill outside High Wycombe remains.

RIVER WYE, DERBYSHIRE

The River Wye is a fifteen mile long river which flows through the county of Derbyshire in England. The river begins life at Axe Edge Moor and flows in a south easterly direction. Just beyond it's source the river runs underground before re-emerging from Poole's Cavern at Wye Head.

The river goes on to flow through the Pavillion Gardens in the spa town of Buxton, before again flowing underground before re-emerging south of Tideswell Village, which sits atop a limestone plateau some one thousand feet above sea level.

The river then arrives at Monsal Head, with it's panoramic views, weir and the nearby, natural rock formations of Fin Cop and Hob's Head.

The river then makes it's way through the Monsal Dale,see title image, which is accompanied by the Monsal Trail, an eight mile long walking, cycling and horse riding path. The trail runs through stunning countryside as it passes a labyrinth of seven railway tunnels, the massive structures which were once the nineteenth century textile mills of Litton Mill, Cressbrook Mill and Caudwell's Mill, before eventually passing the fourteenth century medieval manor house of Haddon Hall.

The river then makes it's way through Ashwood Dale and Chee Dale, passing the weir and ancient monument which was once Blackwell Mill, before passing through the village of Ashford in the Water and on to the market town of Buxton, where it then meets with the sixty six mile long, River Derwent, at the village of Rowsley, before they both flow into the Rivers Trent and Humber and then out to the North Sea.

The river is spanned by several interesting bridges along it's route, including the Grade II listed, eighteenth century, Headstone Viaduct in the Monsal Dale, a stone arch bridge near Longston Station, the nineteenth century Coombs Viaduct at Topley Pike, the three arch, wrought iron viaduct, built in 1863 and the steel truss viaduct, built in 1905 which are both situated at Millers Dale, the ancient stone bridge known as Sheep Wash Bridge at Ashford in the Water and the thirteenth century, five arch, stone bridge at Bakewell.

The river has just one tributary of note, the eight mile long River Lathkill, which joins the River Wye at the village of Rowsley.

The River Wye is also renowned for it's excellent stocks of brown trout, rainbow trout and grayling.

RIVER WYE, ENGLAND / WALES

Image courtesy of Roy Parkhouse, wikimedia commons

The River Wye (Afon Gwy) is the fifth largest river in the British Isles at one hundred and eighty five miles long.The river starts life in the Welsh Mountains at Plynlimon near Aberwrystwith and travels in a south easterly direction through Wales and over the English border to Chepstow, pictured above, where it meets with the River Severn and makes it's way down to the Severn Estuary situated on the Bristol Channel.

The river passes through the Welsh town of Rhyader, famous for it's two hundred and forty foot high Rhyader Falls plunge waterfall, the spa town of Builth Wells, the market town of Ross on Wye, Monmouth, the county town of Monmouthshire, famous for it's medeival, stone bridge, Tintern, famous for it's tenth century Cistercian Abbey and Chepstow, famous for it's twelth century castle and race course.

The river also passes over the border between Wales and England making it's way through the world renowned, market town of Hay on Wye, famous for it's many book shops and annual book festival and the historic City of Hereford, the county town of Herefordshire, famous for it's twelth century cathedral and medeival masonry bridge over the River Wye.

The River Wye is accommpanied by the one hundred and thirty six mile long, Wye Valley, the fifteen mile, Wye Valley Railway, situated between Monmouth and Chepstow and the seventy two mile long, Wye Valley Walk, an area of outstanding natural beauty (AONB) situated between Hereford and Chepstow.

The River Wye has several tributaries, including the Rivers Arrow, Bidno, Dulas, Elan, Irfon, Ithon, Llynfi, Monnow and Terrennig.

The river is spanned by many interesting bridges along it's route, including the Old Wye Bridge at Chepstow, a five arch, cast iron and stone road bridge built in 1816. The five arch, Grade II lIsted, stone Wye Bridge at Monmouth, completed in 1615. The Monmouth Viaduct, completed in 1861 but closed in 1964, a twenty arch, sandstone and steel lattice girder bridge. The Victoria Footbridge in Hereford, a six arch masonary bridge opened in 1898 and the Grade I Listed, medeival, three arch Monnow Bridge, built over the River Monnow at Monmouth, near to it's confluence with the River Wye.

Overall the River Wye is renowned for being a major canoeing and kayaking river, a superb river for anglers and for being home to a significant Special Site of Scientific Interest (SSSI).

SOME RIVER WYE WEBSITES

Canoeing - www.canoethewye.co.uk

Visit - www.wyedeantourism.co.uk

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