#6 River Brue
This series of geocaches takes you on a journey down the River Brue exploring the changing character of the river from its narrow fast flowing active state in the upper catchment, through to the Somerset levels where it becomes highly modified and then on out into the Bristol Channel. The Somerset Wildlife Trust, in partnership with others, are assisting landowners along the river with water management, to reduce impacts of future flooding, and this series in is celebration of that.
More information is available here
From this point onwards the character of the river changes significantly as we head on towards the Levels. People have harnessed the power of the river for agriculture and industry for hundreds of years and this history is written across these ancient landscapes. This cache takes you alongside Clyse Hole which splits Glastonbury mill stream from the main river. Upstream of the weir the straighten section of the river was created in around the 12th century and at this point the water level is above that of the surrounding land until it drops around 3m at Clyse Hole.
Through the Hills to Levels project we are working with Farmers across the Somerset Levels and Moors to increase their resilience to flooding. This can range from improving access to land, maintaining the agricultural and wildlife value of the land, to trialling more resilient grass mixes which will be less susceptible to inundation.
As the river slows vegetation in the channel increases with plants such as frogbit, branched bur-reed and yellow water-lily providing a home for a variety of fish such as roach, rudd and pike. If you’re lucky water voles can be encountered making their homes in the bankside vegetation.
It would be very useful if you could record the wildlife you have seen here
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