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.
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.
Are there otters in the River Stour?
Otter. We are privileged to be home to a breeding pair of otters along the 2 ½-mile stretch of river. These normally shy creatures have become tolerant of human activity and you may be lucky to enjoy watching them for a time whilst they go about their day-to-day life, hunting for fish, playing and grooming.
Who owns the River Stour?
the National Trust
The Stour Valley Way is a designated long-distance footpath that follows almost all of the course of the river. White Mill, an 18th-century watermill on the river near Sturminster Marshall, is owned by the National Trust and open to the public.
Is the River Stour clean?
Not only that, but the Little Stour and Nailbourne form part of one of the UK’s rarest ecosystems: chalk streams. Fed by chalk-filtered water, these rivers are renowned for their clean waters and unique species including brown trout and mayfly.
Can you swim in the River Stour?
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.
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.
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.
What time of day are you most likely to see otters?
Dawn and dusk are good times to watch for otters. It is also when other wildlife is most active, and their behaviour may give away an otter’s presence.
What to do if you find an otter in your yard?
You could use lemon grass to keep them away from your pond and even your garden. Insect repellent may also work at times to keep the otters away. Making a huge and sudden noise when you spot the otters is also sure to scare them and drive them away, leaving you to enjoy your fish pond in peace.
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.
Why Are So Many rivers called Stour?
The Celtic word sturr means strong or powerful, which would be an appropriate name for a river, and as two of England’s River Stours are situated in England’s former Celtic stronghold of the Midlands, this is a more than credible origin.
Are there beavers on the River Stour?
The site, on the banks of the River Stour, features a series of former gravel pits that have since filled with water, forming a network of ponds and lakes surrounded by dense wet willow woodland, all fenced off from the public – the perfect sanctuary for beavers!
What is the cleanest river in England?
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 it free to fish the River Stour?
Fishing on the River Stour in Ashford
Much of the riverside land in Ashford is owned by Ashford Borough Council and free fishing in the river is allowed by the council in these areas.
Are there trout in the River Stour?
For hundreds of years the Kentish Stour has been widely acknowledged for its quality fishing. In bygone days it was mainly famous for its Fordwich trout, but today anglers visit to fish one of the most prolific waters in the south east of England.
Do I need a Licence to canoe on 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.
Can you fish on the Great Stour?
Fishing on the Great Stour in central Canterbury, is now not seen as appropriate and is not encouraged for the following reasons: The city is a popular place for people – residents and visitors. The riverside access routes which pass close to the riverbank are particularly attractive to walkers, cyclists and joggers.
Can I kayak on the Stour?
The River Stour is a natural river with few locks. You can use a powered boat on the 4km stretch from Ballingdon bridge to Henny Street Weir only. The rest of the river is quite shallow. You can still navigate it but you will need a boat with a shallow draft such as a canoe or rowing boat.
Does the River Stour ever flood?
The main flood risk to the River Stour comes from prolonged rainfall whilst high tides can also prevent flood waters draining into the sea. Over the last 60 years the catchment has flooded regularly with 9 being recorded as major flood events, the worst in 2000/01.
Can you walk along the River Stour?
The walk can be completed over a long weekend or in shorter sections. The Stour Valley walk meanders through the Kent Downs AONB from the source of the River Stour in Lenham to Canterbury.