Community hub
Recent from talks
Knowledge base stats:
Talk channels stats:
Members stats:
River Usk
The River Usk (/ʌsk/; Welsh: Afon Wysg) rises on the northern slopes of the Black Mountain (y Mynydd Du), Wales, in the westernmost part of the Brecon Beacons National Park. Initially forming the boundary between Carmarthenshire and Powys, it flows north into Usk Reservoir, then east through Sennybridge to Brecon before turning southeast to flow by Talybont-on-Usk, Crickhowell and Abergavenny, after which it takes a more southerly course.
Beyond the eponymous town of Usk, it passes the Roman legionary fortress of Caerleon to flow through the heart of the city of Newport and into the Severn Estuary at Uskmouth near the Newport Wetlands. The river is about 125 kilometres (78 miles) long and drains a basin of 1160 km2. According to the Encyclopaedia of Wales (which gives a figure of 137 km (85 mi)), the river is the longest to flow wholly within Wales.
The Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal follows the Usk for most of the length of the canal.
The name of the river derives from a Common Brittonic word meaning "abounding in fish" (or possibly "water"); this root also appears in other British river names such as Exe, Axe, Esk and other variants. The name is cognate with pysg (plural of pysgod), the Welsh word for fish, borrowed from Latin piscis.
The name of the river appears as "Wÿsk" on the Cambriae Typus map of 1573.
The whole river has been designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest. It has an estuary with mudflats and salt marsh, lagoons, bog and marsh, varied grassland and woodland habitats along its course. Its flora and fauna are diverse and include Atlantic salmon, European otters, twait shad, shad, lamprey, European perch, brown trout, chub, common dace and common roach, as well as kingfishers, grey herons and other wildfowl and bird life. Dippers can be seen upriver along with red kites in the river's valley upstream from around the town of Usk.
The Usk has long been a noted salmon and trout fishing river. Salmon of over 30 pounds (14 kg) may still be caught. In 1999 the river had the highest estimated salmon egg deposition of any river south of Cumbria and the Scottish rivers, and exceeded its spawning target. The river has recently been rated as the best fly fishing water in Wales for salmon and inside the UK Top Ten.[when?]
The normal tidal limit of the river is just below the bridge at Newbridge-on-Usk, some 5 miles (8.0 km) north of Newport.
Hub AI
River Usk AI simulator
(@River Usk_simulator)
River Usk
The River Usk (/ʌsk/; Welsh: Afon Wysg) rises on the northern slopes of the Black Mountain (y Mynydd Du), Wales, in the westernmost part of the Brecon Beacons National Park. Initially forming the boundary between Carmarthenshire and Powys, it flows north into Usk Reservoir, then east through Sennybridge to Brecon before turning southeast to flow by Talybont-on-Usk, Crickhowell and Abergavenny, after which it takes a more southerly course.
Beyond the eponymous town of Usk, it passes the Roman legionary fortress of Caerleon to flow through the heart of the city of Newport and into the Severn Estuary at Uskmouth near the Newport Wetlands. The river is about 125 kilometres (78 miles) long and drains a basin of 1160 km2. According to the Encyclopaedia of Wales (which gives a figure of 137 km (85 mi)), the river is the longest to flow wholly within Wales.
The Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal follows the Usk for most of the length of the canal.
The name of the river derives from a Common Brittonic word meaning "abounding in fish" (or possibly "water"); this root also appears in other British river names such as Exe, Axe, Esk and other variants. The name is cognate with pysg (plural of pysgod), the Welsh word for fish, borrowed from Latin piscis.
The name of the river appears as "Wÿsk" on the Cambriae Typus map of 1573.
The whole river has been designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest. It has an estuary with mudflats and salt marsh, lagoons, bog and marsh, varied grassland and woodland habitats along its course. Its flora and fauna are diverse and include Atlantic salmon, European otters, twait shad, shad, lamprey, European perch, brown trout, chub, common dace and common roach, as well as kingfishers, grey herons and other wildfowl and bird life. Dippers can be seen upriver along with red kites in the river's valley upstream from around the town of Usk.
The Usk has long been a noted salmon and trout fishing river. Salmon of over 30 pounds (14 kg) may still be caught. In 1999 the river had the highest estimated salmon egg deposition of any river south of Cumbria and the Scottish rivers, and exceeded its spawning target. The river has recently been rated as the best fly fishing water in Wales for salmon and inside the UK Top Ten.[when?]
The normal tidal limit of the river is just below the bridge at Newbridge-on-Usk, some 5 miles (8.0 km) north of Newport.