Words by Roger Carswell.

SAC’s latest addition to its portfolio of waters is situated immediately upstream of the Pimley stretch. In years gone by, it was controlled by the Rolls-Royce club and as a consequence, it was referred to as the Royce’s Water.

The upstream limit is above Telford Way road bridge, where some houses are situated close to the river. Parking is available on the other side of the bridge or at Sydney Avenue. The river here is roughly 6 feet deep and flows over silty gravel. Brookey’s Hole is situated here, named after Jack Brookes, a well known local angler, who in days gone by was known for catching many salmon from his favourite peg there.

Below the bridge, the river is deeper, and has been known to turn up quantities of bream. Further down you’ll see a high muddy bank on the opposite side – the river here is quite shallow and runs over gravel. Barbel and chub inhabit this area and often migrate upstream to the deeper water during the winter months.

Continuing downstream you’ll get to the first of two small streams that enter the river. The second one is spring fed and can provide a cooling drink on a hot summer’s day. Having crossed them, you’ll arrive at what locals refer to as The Daisybank. Like much of this part of the river, it’s quite overgrown and in need of sympathetic landscaping. The river here can be accessed from Lesley Owen Way, just off Sundorne Road.

Continuing downstream, the river is narrower and relatively deep, with a silt bottom – here, you’ll arrive at The Bay. This is where a cutting was created years ago, to provide a link with the Shrewsbury Canal which was filled in during the sixties/seventies. The river here is relatively narrow and starts to shallow up, before running over bedrock and joining up with our Pimley stretch. The river here can also be accessed from The Coracle pub carpark.

As mentioned earlier, this water has been sadly neglected for some years now and a fair degree of work is needed to establish some safe and accessible pegs.