Bounded by the Severn to the south and the Wye to the west, the forest has a strong relationship with two of the most important rivers in Britain. I’m reading one of my Christmas presents, the concisely entitled ‘Severn’ written by Richard Hayman. The author lives near Shrewsbury, where the river loops round the town on its way down from its source on Plynlimon, in the central Welsh mountains. Agriculture, myths, farming, civil war, Roman, geology, energy production and mediaeval history events are themes which illuminate this lively biography of the mighty River Severn.

The Severn rises just a couple of miles from where the Wye also starts its journey, to join the Severn at Chepstow, after their long separation with the Wye criss-crossing its way many times across the English/Welsh border, and the Severn making a broad sweep around the meadowlands and industrial works of the Western Midlands. There are at least eight more rivers and tributaries which start their journey to the sea from the Plynlimon highlands.

I discovered an anonymous mediaeval musing on these riverine journeys, which combine mythology and geography:

‘Sabra, goddess of the Severn, being a prudent, well-conducted maiden, rose with the first streak of morning dawn, and, descending the eastern side of the hill, made choice of the most fertile valleys, whilst as yet her sister slept. Vaga, goddess of the Wye, then rose, and, making all haste to perform her task, took a shorter course, by which means she joined her sister ere she reached the sea.’

‘Sabra’ was the Roman goddess of the Severn, also known as ‘Sabrina’, a name shared with an English actress of the 1950s. For some reason a woodcarving of her is on display at the Old Station Tintern, which is tourist venue on the side of the Wye. Vaga I think is Welsh, related to the English word ‘vagabond’, something that wanders through the countryside.

I remember many years age, the exodus of customers from the George pub to the river Wye at Brockweir for elver fishing. Alongside the Severn and the Wye in the elvering season, the riverside was lit up with a a glow of torchlight as the anglers collected their catch of the riverine delicacy elver, but this tradition seems to be no more, with over fishing and complaints from eel fishers further upstream that elvers being harvested downstream before they had the opportunity to develop into fully grown eels for upstream capture.

And of course, there is pollution. This report is from the Forester, November 2024:

‘A river of protesters flooded London including a 3m tall Goddess of the River Wye, evoking the spirit of the iconic river and the ecosystems at risk at a demonstration on Sunday, November 3 in an urgent call for clean water .

Over 150 people from the Forest of Dean Powys and Herefordshire joined thousands in mass protest, urging the government to end the pollution of Britain’s waterways. The colourful Wye contingent dressed in blue and with banners blazing, were united in their desire to see the river cleaned up so it once again becomes a place that children can play and wildlife can thrive.’