River Wylye
The River Wylye (pronounced /ˈwaɪli/ wy-lee) is a classic southern England chalk stream; champagne clear water flowing over gravel. Consequently, it is popular with anglers keen on fly fishing.
It rises below the White Sheet Downs just south of Maiden Bradley in Wiltshire, and after flowing through the Deverill valley, forms the southern edge of Warminster. It then heads generally east south east, forming the Wylye Valley, into which the A36 road and the Wessex Main Line are also squeezed. The river passes through the parishes of Norton Bavant, Heytesbury, Knook, Upton Lovell, Boyton, Codford, Wylye and Wilton, to the near the southern edge of Salisbury Plain, and is fed by ephemeral, winterbourne streams so water flow can vary.
The river forms part of the River Avon catchment. At Wilton it joins the River Nadder and eventually drains to the sea at Christchurch as part of the River Avon.
The Wylye valley is a picturesque valley dotted with small chocolate box villages composed of thatched cottages and stone-built pubs.
Both Wilton and Wiltshire (Wilton – shire) are named after the river.
River Nadder
The River Nadder is one of the chalk stream rivers of southern England, much sought after by fly fishermen because of its clear waters and abundance of brown trout. It is one of the main tributaries of the River Avon, rising from a number of springs and small streams at Donhead St. Mary in south Wiltshire. The river winds its way east-northeast, heading towards the medieval cathedral city of Salisbury.
During the course of its 32 kilometre journey the Nadder meanders and widens gradually until it flows through the park of Wilton House to the west of Salisbury after which the river joins the River Wylye, another tributary of the Avon. For its last few kilometres it passes through the unspoilt water meadows at Harnham on the outskirts of the city, and finally into the River Avon beneath a backdrop of the magnificent Salisbury Cathedral spire.
The origin of the name is from Brythonic nootr, “flowing water”. Folk etymology derives it from the perceived likeness of its meanderings to an adder, the original Old English name for which was a nadder.
