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River Blackwater (River Loddon)
Encyclopedia
The River Blackwater is a tributary of the River Loddon
in England and, indirectly, of the River Thames
. It rises at Rowhill
on the outskirts of Aldershot
between Aldershot in Hampshire
and Farnham
in Surrey
and runs northwards to join the Loddon near the village of Swallowfield
in Berkshire
. Along part of its length, the river forms the boundary between Hampshire
and Surrey
, and then between Hampshire
and Berkshire
. It rises in Rowhill Nature Reserve, Aldershot
Rowhill, an isolated remnant of the extensive heathland that once surrounded Farnborough
and Aldershot. The remaining heathland is used by the British Army
for training exercises. After 20 miles (32.2 km) the Blackwater is joined by the River Whitewater near Eversley. The river gives its name to the small town of Blackwater, Hampshire
, upon the river near Camberley
.
and then the Loddon. The Loddon eventually flows into the River Thames near Reading.
Although surrounded by urban development the Valley provides an important green corridor for local residents. As well as the Blackwater Valley Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and a small part of the Basingstoke Canal SSSI, three nature reserves within the Valley catchment and many other areas have been recognised for their ecological importance. The local planning authorities covering the Valley have designated 31 other areas as ‘Wildlife Sites’. As a result of an improvement programme, wildlife is returning, including the Otter which has been absent for over 40 years, fishing stocks are improving and the construction of the long distance riverside path has opened up much of the riverbank.
A cycle route runs alongside the River Blackwater for most of its length. There is a running club named Blackwater Valley Runners who run there regularly.
runs east west from the Greywell Tunnel
at Greywell
to the River Wey
. It crosses the Blackwater Valley on an embankment. The River Blackwater used to flow under the embankment in a culvert. Following the construction of the relief road, the Basingstoke Canal now crosses the River Blackwater via the spectacular Ash Aqueduct
. Bat
s that used to roost in the culvert now live in a purpose-built bat house on a nearby island. The new aqueduct affords views of the surrounding countryside. In the distance to the south is the Hog's Back
. This is where the North Downs
narrows. It runs between Farnham and Guildford
. Guildford lies in a gap in the North Downs, cut by the River Wey. The Hogs Back Brewery
, a small local brewery, lies just off the Hog's Back.
River Loddon
The River Loddon is a river in the English counties of Berkshire and Hampshire. It is a tributary of the River Thames, rising within the urban area of Basingstoke and flowing to meet the Thames near the village of Wargrave...
in England and, indirectly, of the River Thames
River Thames
The River Thames flows through southern England. It is the longest river entirely in England and the second longest in the United Kingdom. While it is best known because its lower reaches flow through central London, the river flows alongside several other towns and cities, including Oxford,...
. It rises at Rowhill
Rowhill
Rowhill is situated on the Surrey/Hampshire border between Aldershot and Farnham .Politically Rowhill forms one of the wards of the Aldershot constituency....
on the outskirts of Aldershot
Aldershot
Aldershot is a town in the English county of Hampshire, located on heathland about southwest of London. The town is administered by Rushmoor Borough Council...
between Aldershot in Hampshire
Hampshire
Hampshire is a county on the southern coast of England in the United Kingdom. The county town of Hampshire is Winchester, a historic cathedral city that was once the capital of England. Hampshire is notable for housing the original birthplaces of the Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force...
and Farnham
Farnham
Farnham is a town in Surrey, England, within the Borough of Waverley. The town is situated some 42 miles southwest of London in the extreme west of Surrey, adjacent to the border with Hampshire...
in Surrey
Surrey
Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...
and runs northwards to join the Loddon near the village of Swallowfield
Swallowfield
Swallowfield is a village and civil parish in the English county of Berkshire. It is situated south of the town of Reading, and north of the county boundary with Hampshire....
in Berkshire
Berkshire
Berkshire is a historic county in the South of England. It is also often referred to as the Royal County of Berkshire because of the presence of the royal residence of Windsor Castle in the county; this usage, which dates to the 19th century at least, was recognised by the Queen in 1957, and...
. Along part of its length, the river forms the boundary between Hampshire
Hampshire
Hampshire is a county on the southern coast of England in the United Kingdom. The county town of Hampshire is Winchester, a historic cathedral city that was once the capital of England. Hampshire is notable for housing the original birthplaces of the Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force...
and Surrey
Surrey
Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...
, and then between Hampshire
Hampshire
Hampshire is a county on the southern coast of England in the United Kingdom. The county town of Hampshire is Winchester, a historic cathedral city that was once the capital of England. Hampshire is notable for housing the original birthplaces of the Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force...
and Berkshire
Berkshire
Berkshire is a historic county in the South of England. It is also often referred to as the Royal County of Berkshire because of the presence of the royal residence of Windsor Castle in the county; this usage, which dates to the 19th century at least, was recognised by the Queen in 1957, and...
. It rises in Rowhill Nature Reserve, Aldershot
Rowhill, an isolated remnant of the extensive heathland that once surrounded Farnborough
Farnborough, Hampshire
-History:Name changes: Ferneberga ; Farnburghe, Farenberg ; Farnborowe, Fremborough, Fameborough .Tower Hill, Cove: There is substantial evidence...
and Aldershot. The remaining heathland is used by the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
for training exercises. After 20 miles (32.2 km) the Blackwater is joined by the River Whitewater near Eversley. The river gives its name to the small town of Blackwater, Hampshire
Blackwater, Hampshire
Blackwater is a small town in the north-eastern corner of the English county of Hampshire, lying in the Hart District.-Location:It is situated on the borders of both Berkshire and Surrey about north of Farnborough, west of Camberley and east of Basingstoke on the A30 road. Blackwater is situated...
, upon the river near Camberley
Camberley
Camberley is a town in Surrey, England, situated 31 miles southwest of central London, in the corridor between the M3 and M4 motorways. The town lies close to the borders of both Hampshire and Berkshire; the boundaries intersect on the western edge of the town where all three counties...
.
Blackwater Valley
The River Blackwater runs down the centre of the Blackwater Valley, which is maintained as an open space along the borders of the counties of Berkshire, Hampshire and Surrey. It runs for approximately 30 km, from the source of the River Blackwater at Rowhill Nature Reserve near Aldershot in the south, northwards to Swallowfield where the river joins the River WhitewaterRiver Whitewater
The River Whitewater rises at springs near Bidden Grange Farm between Upton Grey and Greywell. It flows northeast through Hampshire and is a tributary of the River Blackwater near Swallowfield. Its headwaters flow over chalk and there is little pollution making the River Whitewater rich in wildlife...
and then the Loddon. The Loddon eventually flows into the River Thames near Reading.
A cycle route runs alongside the River Blackwater for most of its length. There is a running club named Blackwater Valley Runners who run there regularly.
Ash Aqueduct
The Basingstoke CanalBasingstoke Canal
The Basingstoke Canal is a British Canal, completed in 1794, built to connect Basingstoke with the River Thames at Weybridge via the Wey Navigation....
runs east west from the Greywell Tunnel
Greywell Tunnel
The Greywell Tunnel is a 0.6 hectare biological Site of Special Scientific Interest in Hampshire, England, notified in 1985. When opened in 1794 it was the longest tunnel on the Basingstoke Canal. It was closed due to a roof fall in 1932.-History:...
at Greywell
Greywell
Greywell is a small village and civil parish in Hampshire, England.Greywell village is a past winner of the Best Kept Village in Hampshire competition and a recent winner of Best Small Village in Hampshire. The Basingstoke Canal runs underneath part of the village through the 1.1 km long...
to the River Wey
River Wey
The River Wey in Surrey, Hampshire and West Sussex is a tributary of the River Thames with two separate branches which join at Tilford. The source of the north branch is at Alton, Hampshire and of the south branch at both Blackdown south of Haslemere, and also close to Gibbet Hill, near Hindhead...
. It crosses the Blackwater Valley on an embankment. The River Blackwater used to flow under the embankment in a culvert. Following the construction of the relief road, the Basingstoke Canal now crosses the River Blackwater via the spectacular Ash Aqueduct
Aqueduct
An aqueduct is a water supply or navigable channel constructed to convey water. In modern engineering, the term is used for any system of pipes, ditches, canals, tunnels, and other structures used for this purpose....
. Bat
Bat
Bats are mammals of the order Chiroptera "hand" and pteron "wing") whose forelimbs form webbed wings, making them the only mammals naturally capable of true and sustained flight. By contrast, other mammals said to fly, such as flying squirrels, gliding possums, and colugos, glide rather than fly,...
s that used to roost in the culvert now live in a purpose-built bat house on a nearby island. The new aqueduct affords views of the surrounding countryside. In the distance to the south is the Hog's Back
Hog's Back
The Hog's Back is a part of the North Downs in Surrey, England, that lies between Farnham, Surrey in the west and Guildford in the east.-Name:Compared with the main part of the Downs to the east of it, it is a narrow elongated ridge, hence its name....
. This is where the North Downs
North Downs
The North Downs are a ridge of chalk hills in south east England that stretch from Farnham in Surrey to the White Cliffs of Dover in Kent. The North Downs lie within two Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty , the Surrey Hills and the Kent Downs...
narrows. It runs between Farnham and Guildford
Guildford
Guildford is the county town of Surrey. England, as well as the seat for the borough of Guildford and the administrative headquarters of the South East England region...
. Guildford lies in a gap in the North Downs, cut by the River Wey. The Hogs Back Brewery
Hogs Back Brewery
Hogs Back Brewery is a brewery in Tongham, Surrey, England, and named after the nearby Hog's Back ridge. The brewery started in 1992 as a joint venture between two friends, Martin Zillwood-Hunt and Anthony Stanton-Precious...
, a small local brewery, lies just off the Hog's Back.