Patrick Lloyd
Monnow Marathon
Fundraising for Wild Trout Trust
Story
THE MONNOWTHON – 2 men. 40 miles. A fish too far?
You may ask what on earth possessed two supposedly rational gentlemen to undertake this rather unusual (and some suggest impossible) fishing adventure up one of the most little known - yet incredibly beautiful rivers in the British Isles - the River Monnow
And, as is often the case with these things, what started as a chat in pub - has in fact become a fascinating logistical challenge: to fish every stretch from Monmouth where it joins the Wye and head 40 miles upstream through the Parishes of Skenfrith, Ewyas Harold, Walterstone, Longtown and to its source in the headwaters on Cefn Hill at Craswall below Hay Bluff.
Now this may hardly seem like some Boy’s Own adventure to the headwaters of some uncharted secret African river – but make no mistake - this is no easy challenge. The river twists, turns and crashes through some extremely rugged terrain in the Monnow Valley - much of which is overgrown and inaccessible.
Foolhardy? Perhaps, but if you have the good fortune to meet either Patrick Lloyd or Robert Denny on the river – as you are quite likely to do – then you will realise this river is their passion – and this is not some frivolous bet.
Both have been responsible for some of the most extraordinarily successful ongoing river restoration projects – raising substantial amounts to protect and improve the riparian habitat and to restore it to its former glory. Inspired perhaps by The Field Magazine which once wrote that it was ‘one of the best trout streams in south Britain" – their challenge to us - is to help them raise funds for the Monnow Fisheries Association (MFA) to continue to improve the river and its tributaries within the Monnow catchment. This not only benefits the indigenous population of wild brown trout – but also helps to raise awareness of this glorious part of the country and to bring in much needed trade to local businesses.
So please dig deep and donate something now – and join us as they navigate their way from Monmouth to Craswall – hopefully catching a fish or two along the way.
Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving – they’ll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they’ll send your money directly to the Wild Trout Trust and make sure Gift Aid is reclaimed on every eligible donation by a UK taxpayer. So it’s the most efficient way to donate - we raise more, whilst saving time and cutting costs for the WTT/MFA.
You may ask what on earth possessed two supposedly rational gentlemen to undertake this rather unusual (and some suggest impossible) fishing adventure up one of the most little known - yet incredibly beautiful rivers in the British Isles - the River Monnow
And, as is often the case with these things, what started as a chat in pub - has in fact become a fascinating logistical challenge: to fish every stretch from Monmouth where it joins the Wye and head 40 miles upstream through the Parishes of Skenfrith, Ewyas Harold, Walterstone, Longtown and to its source in the headwaters on Cefn Hill at Craswall below Hay Bluff.
Now this may hardly seem like some Boy’s Own adventure to the headwaters of some uncharted secret African river – but make no mistake - this is no easy challenge. The river twists, turns and crashes through some extremely rugged terrain in the Monnow Valley - much of which is overgrown and inaccessible.
Foolhardy? Perhaps, but if you have the good fortune to meet either Patrick Lloyd or Robert Denny on the river – as you are quite likely to do – then you will realise this river is their passion – and this is not some frivolous bet.
Both have been responsible for some of the most extraordinarily successful ongoing river restoration projects – raising substantial amounts to protect and improve the riparian habitat and to restore it to its former glory. Inspired perhaps by The Field Magazine which once wrote that it was ‘one of the best trout streams in south Britain" – their challenge to us - is to help them raise funds for the Monnow Fisheries Association (MFA) to continue to improve the river and its tributaries within the Monnow catchment. This not only benefits the indigenous population of wild brown trout – but also helps to raise awareness of this glorious part of the country and to bring in much needed trade to local businesses.
So please dig deep and donate something now – and join us as they navigate their way from Monmouth to Craswall – hopefully catching a fish or two along the way.
Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving – they’ll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they’ll send your money directly to the Wild Trout Trust and make sure Gift Aid is reclaimed on every eligible donation by a UK taxpayer. So it’s the most efficient way to donate - we raise more, whilst saving time and cutting costs for the WTT/MFA.