2023 in Photos

 

Greetings! Another year nearly over. Another chalkstream season done. After the drought of ’22 we have had the deluge of ’23. What will ’24 bring? We will all, of course, often flee to the splendid isolation of the riverbank in a year that will undoubtedly be dominated by the General Election. For those who love rivers this will be an unusual one because ‘ownership’ of the sewage issue will undoubtedly be up for grabs. I am not confident that manifesto pledges and political point scoring will immediately solve the many and manifold issues that impact on our rivers, the natural beauty of our nation and the health of the countryside. However, in the medium to long term  the sheer fact that this has become a mainstream issue gives some hope that problems will be addressed and solutions found. The critical moment will likely come in April when regulator Ofwat approves (or not) a 31% increase in consumer water and sewerage charges for 2025-30. The challenge, at this point, will be to convince the public and politicians in this, an election year, that the increase (roughly £3 a week for every home) will not go to line the pockets of water company owners and that the money will be effectively spent. We will see. But in the meantime, the streams will roll, the flies will hatch and the trout will rise. Because, for all the travails, chalkstreams remain an amazing refuge from everyday life. A micro universe of everything that is astonishing about Mother Nature. All the very best for 2024.

January A hard, frosty morning on Inkpen Beacon from which you can see the chalkstream valleys of Berkshire, Hampshire and Wiltshire to the north, south and west.

February One of many talks I was to give on the history, delights and current state of the English chalkstreams. March Martin Aris, river keeper of some 50 years, at the launch of his biography.

April Cartoonist Peter Brookes of The Daily Telegraph neatly captures the zeitgeist

May The River Kennet in full bloom as the hawthorn flower and fly came late, but both in super abundance

June My first (and only) Danish brown trout on what may, or may not be, a Danish chalkstream. July Bullington Manor captured from the air, the many dead or dying ash trees plaintive fingers pointing upwards from the woodland August How many river keepers does it take to change an oak board? September You never, and should never, forget that first fish. October The first hues of autumn at Kimbridge on the River Test

November John Reeves, river keeper on the Coln in Gloucestershire announces his retirement after over 60 years on the same river

December The rainbows in the Nether Wallop Mill lake line up to spawn. It will ultimately be fruitless but they seem to be having fun.

2024 bookings open The online diaries are now fully open for 2024 day rods, courses, cottages, huts, camps and all we have to offer. Here are a few useful links to search around the site: Day rods – use this link to search by date All rivers – use this to search by river and/or beat Compare the beats – use this link to search by any variable e.g. % wild or whether you can take your dog Courses – use this link to see the full range and dates Family & kids - use this link to see the full range Fishing cottages – search by cottage All dates are up and online – I am holding nothing back with the exception of Broadlands House, Fisherton de la Mere, Shawford Park and Wrackleford who are still to confirm diary dates. Click to view and print

Enjoy the rest of the holidays.   Best wishes,

Simon Cooper simon@fishingbreaks.co.uk Founder & Managing Directorwww.fishingbreaks.c