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Wye Meanders

West Midlands  >  United Kingdom

Large, sparsely populated alluvial river valley with numerous wildlife. Car or bicycle essential.

Added* by Iain Crawford
Most recent update 8 Αυγούστου 2022

Description

The Wye valley from Brockhampton through Kings Caple, How Caple, Foy and Backney, features wide agricultural landscapes, quiet and unspoilt. Hares are numerous, fallow deer, stoat and weasel occasional. Οχθοχελίδονο colony at Backney Common. Numerous breeding (Κοινή) Σιταρήθρα. Χηνοπρίστης and Mandarin Duck. Πετρίτης, Αργυροτσικνιάς, Γελαδάρης, (Κοινός) Λευκοτσικνιάς and Δεντρογέρακο occasional. (Μεγάλο) Καλαμοτσίχλονο and Σχοινοποταμίδα present in riverside crops (Κοινό) Ορτύκι. Barbel often visible from Foy footbridge. Lakes at Fawley Court frequented by (Κοκκινόλαιμο) Νανοβουτηχτάρι and Σταχτοτσικνιάς.

Details

Access

From A40 Wilton roundabout (the one with petrol station) take Hereford exit then first right for Backney picnic site car park, or second right turn for Hoarwithy, Sellack and How Caple. parking at Kings Caple Church, Backney picnic site, and south side of Foy footbridge.

To reach Hole in the Wall and footbridge access to Foy, from A40/M50 roundabout take the Ledbury road A449 then first left on narrow road and right at Tjunction.

For the energetic, an 8 mile (12,8 km) circular walk via Sellack, Fawley Chapel, How Caple, Foy and Baysham is recommended, plus numerous shorter walks. For the 4,6 mile (7,5 km) Hoarwithy to Sellack circular walk marked on the map it is safer to take the footpaths and riverside route as the road has no pavement. Note that there is a right of way through the Hoarwithy campsite which again avoids the roadway..

Terrain and Habitat

Valley , Agriculture , Lake , Scattered trees and bushes , Grassland

Conditions

Flat , Open landscape , High water possible

Circular trail

Yes

Is a telescope useful?

No

Good birding season

All year round

Best time to visit

Spring

Route

Wide path , Narrow trail , Unpaved road

Difficulty walking trail

Average walk

Accessible by

Foot

Birdwatching hide / platform

No

Extra info

Featured in the BBC series 'Hugh's Wild West' when Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall went snorkelling to see barbel close up.

View other birding spots in the area that are published on Birdingplaces

Map

Top 5 birds

Κοκκινοπέρδικα
1. Κοκκινοπέρδικα
(Alectoris rufa)
(Κοινός) Λευκοτσικνιάς
2. (Κοινός) Λευκοτσικνιάς
(Egretta garzetta)
(Ευρωπαϊκή) Αλκυόνη
3. (Ευρωπαϊκή) Αλκυόνη
(Alcedo atthis)
(Κοκκινόλαιμο) Νανοβουτηχτάρι
4. (Κοκκινόλαιμο) Νανοβουτηχτάρι
(Tachybaptus ruficollis)
(Μεγάλο) Καλαμοτσίχλονο
5. (Μεγάλο) Καλαμοτσίχλονο
(Emberiza schoeniclus)

Other birds you can see here

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