Usk

Many thanks to Woodside Service Station for facilitating this camera's location.The Usk Bridge in Brecon, a Grade I listed structure, has a historical lineage dating back to 1563. However, in the 1950s, significant alterations were made to the bridge to accommodate the growing volume of road traffic. To complement its function, a modern concrete span bridge was constructed, facilitating the passage of the A40 Brecon bypass dual carriageway over the river to the east of the town.The River Usk originates from the northern slopes of the Black Mountain in mid-Wales, within the westernmost region of the Brecon Beacons National Park. Initially, it flows in a northerly direction, reaching Usk Reservoir, and then meanders eastward, passing through Sennybridge and Brecon. It subsequently changes course, flowing southeast and passing by Talybont-on-Usk, Crickhowell, and Abergavenny before adopting a more southerly trajectory. Beyond the town of Usk, it continues its journey, passing the Roman legionary fortress of Caerleon, and eventually traverses the heart of Newport before reaching the Severn estuary at Uskmouth. The name of the river is derived from a Common Brittonic term that signifies "abounding in fish" or possibly "water." This linguistic root is also evident in other British river names such as Exe, Axe, Esk, and their variants. The name shares a cognate relationship with "pysg" (plural of "pysgod"), the Welsh word for fish, borrowed from Latin "piscis." Historical maps, like the Cambriae Typus map of 1573, feature the river's name spelled as "Wÿsk." The entire stretch of the river has been designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest due to its ecological significance. The Usk River showcases diverse habitats along its course, including estuaries with mudflats and salt marshes, lagoons, bogs, marshes, varied grasslands, and woodlands. Its rich flora and fauna include Atlantic salmon, European otters, twait shad, shad, lamprey, European perch, brown trout, chub, common dace, common roach, as well as kingfishers, grey herons, and other wildfowl and bird species. Upstream, dippers can be observed, and the river valley around the town of Usk is known for sightings of red kites. The Usk River has long been renowned as a prime location for salmon and trout fishing, offering the opportunity to catch salmon weighing over 30 pounds (14 kg). In fact, in 1999, the river exhibited the highest estimated salmon egg deposition among rivers south of Cumbria and the Scottish rivers, surpassing its spawning target. Currently, the Usk River holds the distinction of being rated as the best fly fishing water in Wales for salmon and ranks within the top ten in the United Kingdom.