River Monnow
Encyclopedia
The River Monnow flows through south-west Herefordshire
, England
and eastern Monmouthshire
, Wales
.
and Wales
before it joins the River Wye
at Monmouth
. The Wye is also half English from Monmouth until it meets the River Severn
at Chepstow
. The Monnow is bridged at Monmouth by the unique medieval Monnow Bridge
. The Monnow Valley Walk
follows the river.
on Cefn Hill just below the high Black Mountains, Wales
. It flows southwards, gaining the waters of its tributaries
the Escley Brook and Olchon Brook near Clodock
and the waters of Afon Honddu http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/276837, from the Welsh side of the Black Mountains
, near Pandy
. The river then flows briefly eastwards before again turning southwards. At Monmouth
the river joins into the River Wye
with the River Trothy
. Its total length is around 26 miles (42 km).
population, with the length from Pontrilas
to Skenfrith
http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/248733 producing record catches. Numbers fell substantially during the 20th century and especially after the 1960s but in more recent years the trout fishing has improved dramatically and the Monnow catchment once again ranks as one of the best wild trout fisheries in England and Wales and it is now also noted for the grayling
fishing. A recently opened fish pass at Monmouth
allowing migratory fish to by-pass a previously impassable weir has once more given salmon
and sea trout access to the majority of the catchment and salmon were seen jumping at Kentchurch weir for the first time for many years in the Autumn of 2008. The Monnow Fisheries Association takes a large amount of the credit for the improvement in the fishing through their work on habitat improvement throughout the catchment and encouraging anglers to return a high proportion of fish caught safely to the water.
Herefordshire
Herefordshire is a historic and ceremonial county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes it is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three counties that comprise the "Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Gloucestershire" NUTS 2 region. It also forms a unitary district known as the...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
and eastern Monmouthshire
Monmouthshire
Monmouthshire is a county in south east Wales. The name derives from the historic county of Monmouthshire which covered a much larger area. The largest town is Abergavenny. There are many castles in Monmouthshire .-Historic county:...
, Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
.
Border River
For much of its short length it marks the border between EnglandEngland
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
and Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
before it joins the River Wye
River Wye
The River Wye is the fifth-longest river in the UK and for parts of its length forms part of the border between England and Wales. It is important for nature conservation and recreation.-Description:...
at Monmouth
Monmouth
Monmouth is a town in southeast Wales and traditional county town of the historic county of Monmouthshire. It is situated close to the border with England, where the River Monnow meets the River Wye with bridges over both....
. The Wye is also half English from Monmouth until it meets the River Severn
River Severn
The River Severn is the longest river in Great Britain, at about , but the second longest on the British Isles, behind the River Shannon. It rises at an altitude of on Plynlimon, Ceredigion near Llanidloes, Powys, in the Cambrian Mountains of mid Wales...
at Chepstow
Chepstow
Chepstow is a town in Monmouthshire, Wales, adjoining the border with Gloucestershire, England. It is located on the River Wye, close to its confluence with the River Severn, and close to the western end of the Severn Bridge on the M48 motorway...
. The Monnow is bridged at Monmouth by the unique medieval Monnow Bridge
Monnow Bridge
Monnow Bridge in Monmouth, Wales, is the only remaining mediæval fortified river bridge in Great Britain with its gate tower still standing in place. It crosses the River Monnow just above its confluence with the River Wye.- 13th-century bridge :...
. The Monnow Valley Walk
Monnow Valley Walk
Monnow Valley Walk in north-east Monmouthshire, South Wales is a 40-mile route from Monmouth to Hay-on-Wye, which follows the River Monnow and the foot of the Black Mountains, Wales....
follows the river.
Black Mountains Source
The river rises near CraswallCraswall
Craswall is a village and civil parish in Herefordshire, England. It lies in the far west of the county, in the foothills of the Black Mountains close to the border with Wales....
on Cefn Hill just below the high Black Mountains, Wales
Black Mountains, Wales
The Black Mountains are a group of hills spread across parts of Powys and Monmouthshire in southeast Wales, and extending across the national border into Herefordshire, England. They are the easternmost of the four ranges of hills that comprise the Brecon Beacons National Park, and are frequently...
. It flows southwards, gaining the waters of its tributaries
Tributary
A tributary or affluent is a stream or river that flows into a main stem river or a lake. A tributary does not flow directly into a sea or ocean...
the Escley Brook and Olchon Brook near Clodock
Clodock
Clodock is a village in the west of Herefordshire, England. It lies on the River Monnow in the foothills of the Black Mountains, close to the border with Wales. The village is in the civil parish of Longtown....
and the waters of Afon Honddu http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/276837, from the Welsh side of the Black Mountains
Black Mountains, Wales
The Black Mountains are a group of hills spread across parts of Powys and Monmouthshire in southeast Wales, and extending across the national border into Herefordshire, England. They are the easternmost of the four ranges of hills that comprise the Brecon Beacons National Park, and are frequently...
, near Pandy
Pandy, Monmouthshire
Pandy, Monmouthshire is a hamlet in Monmouthshire, south east Wales, United Kingdom.- Location :Pandy is located five miles north of Abergavenny on the A465 road to Hereford immediately to the north of Llanfihangel Crucorney...
. The river then flows briefly eastwards before again turning southwards. At Monmouth
Monmouth
Monmouth is a town in southeast Wales and traditional county town of the historic county of Monmouthshire. It is situated close to the border with England, where the River Monnow meets the River Wye with bridges over both....
the river joins into the River Wye
River Wye
The River Wye is the fifth-longest river in the UK and for parts of its length forms part of the border between England and Wales. It is important for nature conservation and recreation.-Description:...
with the River Trothy
River Trothy
The River Trothy is a river which flows through north Monmouthshire, in rural south east Wales.The river rises on Campston Hill, northeast of Abergavenny. It flows southwards until Llanvapley, where it turns east. At Monmouth the river joins into the River Wye, about 0.5 km downstream from the...
. Its total length is around 26 miles (42 km).
Brown Trout
At one time the river was noted for its substantial brown troutBrown trout
The brown trout and the sea trout are fish of the same species....
population, with the length from Pontrilas
Pontrilas
Pontrilas is a village in south Herefordshire, England, half a mile from the border with Wales. It is in the parish of Kentchurch and lies midway between Hereford and Abergavenny....
to Skenfrith
Skenfrith
Skenfrith is a small village in Monmouthshire, south-east Wales, in the United Kingdom. It is located on the River Monnow, close to the border between Wales and England, about 6 miles north-west of Monmouth.- History and amenities :...
http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/248733 producing record catches. Numbers fell substantially during the 20th century and especially after the 1960s but in more recent years the trout fishing has improved dramatically and the Monnow catchment once again ranks as one of the best wild trout fisheries in England and Wales and it is now also noted for the grayling
Grayling
-Fish:*Grayling , Thymallus thymallus*Grayling , generically, any fish of the genus Thymallus in the family Salmonidae*Australian grayling , a fish in the family Retropinnidae...
fishing. A recently opened fish pass at Monmouth
Monmouth
Monmouth is a town in southeast Wales and traditional county town of the historic county of Monmouthshire. It is situated close to the border with England, where the River Monnow meets the River Wye with bridges over both....
allowing migratory fish to by-pass a previously impassable weir has once more given salmon
Salmon
Salmon is the common name for several species of fish in the family Salmonidae. Several other fish in the same family are called trout; the difference is often said to be that salmon migrate and trout are resident, but this distinction does not strictly hold true...
and sea trout access to the majority of the catchment and salmon were seen jumping at Kentchurch weir for the first time for many years in the Autumn of 2008. The Monnow Fisheries Association takes a large amount of the credit for the improvement in the fishing through their work on habitat improvement throughout the catchment and encouraging anglers to return a high proportion of fish caught safely to the water.