Ver Valley Society

Ver Valley Society Join us and help to protect and promote the precious River Ver. Use the Sign Up button to download a membership form.

Enjoy riverbank working parties, great walks, evenings with captivating guest speakers and much more. The Ver Valley extends from Kensworth Lynch north of Markyate, south via Redbourn, St.Albans and Park Street to join the River Colne near Bricket Wood. The Valley is formed on chalk covered by a thin layer of clay and flint in the hills with gravel and silt in the valley bottom. Chalk streams such

as the Ver are globally very rare. They have porous beds and rely on a high water table for existence. The springs which feed the valleys flow with mineral-rich, pure water which has been filtered through the chalk. Such water is vital to the flora and fauna typifying a chalk stream. But now the very existence of such rivers, especially the Ver and its tributary the Red are under threat. The upper section of the River Ver has always been a winterbourne, flowing only at times of high rainfall usually in the winter but from Flamstead south, until recent years, it was a permanent chalk stream. In the 19th and early 20th century the healthy river supported a dozen watermills. The pure, fast flowing, mineral-rich water, of relatively constant temperature, allowed a flourishing watercress industry to develop. Now the spring fed wetlands of the valley are slow to freeze, providing a temporary refuge for over wintering birds and support a variety of plants, animals and invertebrates and birds in summer.

Here are four more walks that are part of our walking festival that's fast approaching from 16-26 June.Redbourn, Redbour...
12/06/2026

Here are four more walks that are part of our walking festival that's fast approaching from 16-26 June.

Redbourn, Redbournbury, Childwickbury, and Gorhambury all feature, plus there are two opportunities to try the River Ver Trail. Non-members welcome. Book today!

Friday 19th June – The Redbournbury Walk 6 miles. Start & finish Redbourn Common
Sunday 21st June – The source at Kensworth Lynch to Verulamium Park, St Albans 10 miles.
Sunday 21st June – The Confluence at Bricket Wood to Verulamium Park, St Albans 5 miles.
Tuesday 23rd June – The Three Burys Walk 8 miles. Start & finish Verulamium Park, St Albans

See here for a full list of walks, further information and how to reserve your FREE place. https://www.riverver.co.uk/ver-valley-walking-festival.../

From the influence of water mills and eye-catching parkland to riverside paths and the chance to link up with our Verulamium Park celebrations https://www.riverver.co.uk/verulamium-park-sunday-21-june/ there's plenty to discover and discuss while exploring our precious local chalk stream - the River Ver.

Open Meeting Tuesday 16th June at 7.30pm. Come and join us at St Stephen Parish Centre, Bricket Wood AL2 3PJ. FREE event...
10/06/2026

Open Meeting Tuesday 16th June at 7.30pm. Come and join us at St Stephen Parish Centre, Bricket Wood AL2 3PJ. FREE event – all welcome

River Restoration in the Chilterns – Guest Speaker: Adrian Porter, Chilterns Chalk Stream Project

Hear how techniques like ‘re-wiggling’ and ‘backwater features’ have succeeded on our neighbouring rivers, like the Hamble Brook, and how success was measured. Discover how they might be employed on the Ver over the next decade to improve the condition of our river and the biodiversity of its flora and fauna.

There is still time to book one of the guided walks along the Ver and plan your visit to Verulamium Park on 21st June to celebrate the Society’s 50th anniversary. The evening will also include short reports on the current state of the river, notable wildlife sightings, E. coli testing results, the latest Ver Valley news and plenty of time for any questions from the floor.

Chilterns Chalk Streams Project

Here's your chance to take a walk in the Ver valley and discover more about the river and it's history. Markyate, Flamst...
07/06/2026

Here's your chance to take a walk in the Ver valley and discover more about the river and it's history. Markyate, Flamstead and Redbourn feature in the first three walks in our two week walking festival. Non-members welcome. Book today!

Tuesday 16th June – The Source Walk 6.7 miles. Start & finish Markyate High Street

Wednesday 17th June – The Upper Ver Valley 6 miles. Start & finish Flamstead High Street

Thursday 18th June – The Winterbourne Walk 8 miles. Start & finish Redbourn Common

See here for a full list of walks, further information and how to reserve your FREE place. https://www.riverver.co.uk/ver-valley-walking-festival-16-26-june-2026/

From tales of highwaymen and headless milkmaids to spectacular views and sewage pollution, there's plenty to discover and discuss while exploring the chalk and it's chalk stream - the River Ver.

Markyate Matters

As Herts Rivers Week draws to a close, it's not the end of the story! If you'd like to learn more about the River Ver, o...
31/05/2026

As Herts Rivers Week draws to a close, it's not the end of the story! If you'd like to learn more about the River Ver, our favourite chalk stream, drop in and see us in Verulamium Park on Sunday 21st June between 11am and 3pm, just downstream of the Lake. There will be river dipping for all the family, a chance to celebrate the Society's 50 year history and an opportunity to ask us anything about the River Ver from water quality to volunteering.

It's all part of a fortnight of celebration with 10 guided walks to choose from: https://www.riverver.co.uk/ver-valley-walking-festival-16-26-june-2026/

We're proud of what's been achieved since 1976 and delighted that it's all been planned and delivered entirely by volunteers.

Our volunteers love nothing more that to slip into waders and create a brash shelf or berm in the River Ver. What’s more...
30/05/2026

Our volunteers love nothing more that to slip into waders and create a brash shelf or berm in the River Ver. What’s more, they are always keen to return months later to top up their work and ensure the features last for a long as possible.

It’s not just the eye-catching activities though. Trimming the overhead canopy, pollarding willow and coppicing hazel to let in the light is a regular task to make the river a better place for invertebrates and fish. Not forgetting the inevitable trash that needs removing from the channel.

Removing the non-native invasive Himalayan balsam along the banks is the top summer task and in turn encourages native plants such as purple loosestrife to thrive.

The list is almost endless. So much so, that on the River Ver it’s Herts Rivers Week, every week!

Chalk streams are famous for their crystal clear, clean water. More recently, they have become notorious for being dirty...
29/05/2026

Chalk streams are famous for their crystal clear, clean water. More recently, they have become notorious for being dirty and not so clean. The Ver knows all about it. Last year, Markyate was Thames Water's worst performing sewage works, discharging 3600hrs of sewage directly into the River Ver. This year, Thames Water are investing heavily in lining 7km of pipes to address the issue.

It's not always pleasant work but our volunteers are on the river in all weathers, testing the water, uncovering the issues and encouraging solutions. It was our volunteers' work that first flagged the issue at Markyate...

Phosphates, nitrates, heavy metals, sediment, E. coli, forever chemicals and many more, We are on the case!

A good way to visit the River Ver in Herts Rivers Week, or any week of the year, is to try one of the eight circular wal...
28/05/2026

A good way to visit the River Ver in Herts Rivers Week, or any week of the year, is to try one of the eight circular walks that each include a section of the Ver. What's more, we have a Ver Walking Festival in June when you can join them as guided walks and learn a little of the local history and challenges of the river. See here for details and to book https://www.riverver.co.uk/ver-valley-walking-festival-16-26-june-2026/

Every week of the year in fine weather and foul, our volunteers are out and about checking the state of the walks. Even today, north of Redbourn, two parties were trimming brambles and nettles to keep the routes open. Others dispense a little love to the wonderful oak benches, while more still put up the route markers from Kensworth to Bricket Wood. If you are feeling generous, please donate to our crowdfunder to replace the Redbournbury bench that is unfortunately beyond repair. https://www.gofundme.com/f/redbournbury-river-ver-bench

In Herts Rivers Week it's timely to remember that every river needs water. That's why our volunteers have been campaigni...
27/05/2026

In Herts Rivers Week it's timely to remember that every river needs water. That's why our volunteers have been campaigning for change since the long hot summer of 1976(!), when the majority of the Ver dried up for the very first time. Now, in 2026, much of the over-abstraction has been reversed and the River Ver is looking more like the chalk stream it once did.

The Ver at Redbournbury Mill, Shafford Mill and Bow Bridge continued to suffer for decades but now, thanks mainly to a committed band of volunteers, a better flowing river has returned.

One measure of the River Ver's health is the abundance of invertebrates living in the river. Every month a dedicated tea...
26/05/2026

One measure of the River Ver's health is the abundance of invertebrates living in the river. Every month a dedicated team of 20 volunteers survey nearly 20 spots along the Ver to check that all is well. Using the Riverfly Partnership method, which looks specifically at invertebrates sensitive to pollution, we've built up useful data spanning over a decade. Currently the river is enjoying an insect revival after some years of decline.

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Ver Valley
Redbourn

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