The River Wye
Rising on the slopes of Pumlumon in the Cambrian Mountains, the river Wye (Afon Gwy in Welsh) flows for approximately 152 miles in a generally south easterly direction. It is the fifth longest river in the UK passing through Builth Wells, Hay-on-Wye, Hereford, Ross-on-Wye and Monmouth, before joining the Severn Estuary at Chepstow.
The river is host to an array of wildlife and is both a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and Special Area of Conservation (SAC) for most of its length. Atlantic salmon are one of the listed migratory fish species for which the river is famous.
The Wye’s main tributaries include (in a downstream order) the Elan, Ithon, Irfon, Lugg and Monnow.
The Wye was voted the nation’s favourite river in 2010. However, like most rivers in the UK, it has faced an increasing array of issues and threats in recent years. Extensive work has been carried out by the Foundation and its partners to tackle these.
The River Usk
The River Usk (Afon Wysg in Welsh) rises on the northern slopes of the Black Mountain (y Mynydd Du) at the western edge of Brecon Beacons National Park.
Its headwaters drain into the Usk reservoir, from where the river flows in an easterly direction to begin with. The river passes to the north of the Brecon Beacons before starting to take a more southerly bearing through Abergavenny and the town of Usk itself, joining the Bristol Channel at Newport.
The Usk is host an array of wildlife and is both a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and Special Area of Conservation (SAC) for most of its length.
