We are back on the River Stour as well, and around White Mill bridge (the oldest bridge in Dorset) is a beautifully tranquil stretch of the river, allowing wild swimmers to travel as far as Eye Bridge. There are plenty of pubs along the stretch as well, offering parking spaces and a place to refuel after a long swim.
Is the River Stour safe to swim in?
River Stour
Swimming in rivers is not recommended for inexperienced swimmers or children. Currents can vary, surfaces are often rocky and slippery, and rivers are not monitored by lifeguards. Experienced swimmers can enter the River Stour in several places, including a mooring platform near the Fordwich Arms.
Where can you swim in River Stour?
DEDHAM AND FLATFORD ON THE RIVER STOUR
The river offers up not only extreme beauty but also several wild swimming spots, the majority of which are between Dedham and Flatford. A good spot to start swimming in this historic vale is at Fen Bridge near Dedham, a quiet spot with fairly deep water.
Can you swim in the River Stour Dorset?
Green and peaceful, the River Stour near Wimborne is a must-swim. The beautiful stretch of the River Stour near the market town of Wimborne Minster is a delightful place for an outdoor paddle.
Where can I wild swim in Dorset?
Wild Swimming in Dorset
- Colber Bridge, near Sturminster Newton.
- Eye Bridge, The River Stour, near Wimborne Minster.
- Moreton Ford, River Frome.
- Wareham Bridge, the River Frome.
- Cutt Mill, near Hinton St Mary.
- White Mill, Sturminster Marshall.
How clean is the River Stour?
The latest publically available monitoring (2016) indicates that most of these – twelve – are at Moderate status; seven are classified as Poor and one – the River Dour – is classified as Bad. The Environment Agency and its partners are committed to get as many water bodies as possible to Good status by 2027.
Which UK rivers are safe to swim in?
There is currently only have one declared Inland Bathing water in the UK on the River Wharfe in Yorkshire. The declaration requires water companies to prevent sewage pollution upstream of the swimming site, and makes the water quality safer for recreational use.
Is the River Stour polluted?
Water quality in the River Stour
The process of tanning, along with other industries, polluted the Great Stour with chloride, sulphate, ammonium, phenols, hydrocarbons and land gases. There was also the potential of heavy metal spills, such as lead, mercury, cadmium and copper, which is extremely toxic to aquatic life.
What lives in the River Stour?
Fish species including bream, brook lamprey, three-spined stickleback, brown trout and European eels also call the River Stour their home alongside other aquatic creatures such as water boatmen, leeches and various insect larvae such as caddis flies.
Is the River Stour deep?
The usual range of the River Stour at Iford Bridge is between -0.11m and 2.50m. It has been between these levels for 90% of the time since monitoring began. The typical recent level of the River Stour at Iford Bridge over the past 12 months has been between -0.14m and 1.43m.
Do I need a licence for the River Stour?
If you only want to paddle on the River Stour at Dedham, the River Stour Trust do a licence. £10.50 for a week, £19.90 for a month or £44.20 for the year. This is for the craft, not the person. Remember this is for one River which is also covered by British Canoeing.
What is the River Stour famous for?
River Stour, river, eastern England, with a length of 47 miles (76 km). It rises in eastern Cambridgeshire and flows eastward through East Anglia, forming most of the county boundary between Suffolk and Essex, through country made famous by the paintings of the artist John Constable.
Why are rivers called Stour?
The medieval, French word stour means confusion or commotion, which could well have been attributed to that of a particularly unnavigable river.
Is it OK to wild swim alone?
Staying safe
To stay safe, never swim alone and remember, if this is your first time, stay or swim close to the shore. Cold water will dramatically decrease your range at first, count on being able to swim a tenth of the distance you can in a warm pool , so practise in a safe zone and increase your range slowly.
Is Wild swimming legal UK?
Recommended. In England and Wales, a “right to roam” law means most lakes and rivers are open to swimming but there are some exceptions so it is important to confirm that you have access before you start swimming.
What counts as wild swimming?
What is Wild Swimming? Wild swimming is, to all intents and purposes, going swimming outside in a natural pool of water. That pool might be at a bend in a river, or it might be the sea. The important thing is that there are no man-made structures.
What is the cleanest river in the UK?
the River Thames
It might surprise you to know that the River Thames is considered one of the world’s cleanest rivers running through a city.
Is the River Stour in Dorset clean?
The main contaminants of water quality are nitrates and the pesticides clopyralid and metaldehyde, not uncommon in waters abutting intensively farmed areas such as that within the Stour Valley. Phosphates are also present as are many other constituent parts of agrochemical fertilisers used across the area.
Are there fish in the River Stour?
In the River Stour, we have at least two migratory fish species that you can find. They are the European Eel and the Atlantic salmon, and both make extraordinary journeys to find ideal places in which to reproduce.
Which is the most cleanest river in the world?
Thames River, London
The Thames River in London tops the chart of the cleanest river in the world.
How do you test water for swimming in a river?
The best way to determine if a body of water is safe and the risk of water borne illness is low is to sample the water and check for Escherichia coli (E. coli) bacteria. E. coli is commonly found in the intestines of humans and other mammals.