The River Wye rises in these same Plinlimmon mountains. It flows by the castles of Hay and Clifford, through the city of
The River Wye
The river that defined the 'cult of the picturesque', the Wye carves its way through stunning borderland scenery attracting canoeists, sight-seers and walkers in equal measure.
The River Wye is born on the slopes of Plynlimon and carves its way through mid-Wales and the Marches until it reaches the River Severn 153 miles later. The ruins of Tintern Abbey, the rocky outcrop of Symonds Yat, and the commanding bulk of Chepstow Castle have attracted tourists in their thousands since the 19th century - and with good reason. More recently, book lovers have flocked to Hay-on-Wye, where dozens of secondhand bookshops flourish.
Popular today mainly with canoeists, the Wye has actually been navigated since Roman times. In its day the Wye was used for transporting stone, coal, iron and timber. Other bounty was cider from Hereford, wine from Italy, bark and hazel hoops. Wye trows (similar to the types of boats found on the River Severn), group-pulled boats, fishing boats, coracles and even a steam tug have come down this river.
