"Some of our most beautiful rivers are ‘chalk streams’. Their pure, clear, constant water from underground chalk aquifers and springs, flowing across flinty gravel beds, make them perfect sources of clean water – and ideal for lots of wild creatures to breed and thrive. We are lucky because the majority of the world’s chalk streams are found in England. But far too many of our waterways have been overused and undervalued. Drained almost dry in places and polluted in others. Less than a fifth of England’s rivers are healthy, and climate change is putting more pressure on them. Our rivers need help.”
World Wildlife Fund
River Wensum
The River Wensum is a chalk fed Norfolk river and a tributary of the River Yare despite it being the larger of the two rivers. The river is a designated Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and Special Area of Conservation (SAC)
The source of the Wensum rises from springs above the village of Raynham in north-west Norfolk and is joined by numerous small tributaries. Flowing westward at first, the river then turns and flows north through a number of small villages until it reaches Sculthorpe where it turns east through the market town of Fakenham before flowing in a south-easterly direction through Swanton Morley, Lyng, Lenwade and Taverham, entering the City of Norwich from the north-west via Drayton, Costessey and Hellesdon. At New Mills Yard the river becomes tidal and navigable by boat before flowing through the city and merging with the River Yare.....
