Well, we did it.

The source of the Monnow was reached at 5.40 on Sunday - 43 miles and 43 fish from her mouth - after a 7 o'clock start at Monmouth on Friday morning.

Highlights included:

Finding a huge previously unknown bed of ranunculus at Cloddock

Watching (and subsequently catching) an 18" trout feeding at Llancilo - amazing how iinformative it is to actually see the trout clearly - I suspect we would have moved on and assumed he'd gone after being pricked with the first fly!!!

Seeing the satisfactory results of our recent laying in of woody debris

A kingfisher settling on a branch not a rod length away, watching how an amateur attempts to catch a trout.

Seeing upwing fly nymphs, cased caddis and freshwater shrimps(!) in a 9" wide "pool" on "beat one" 50 yds from the source, halfway up a hill - evidence of the lack of polution and health of our Mistress's early life.

Sitting at the source, where water could finally no longer be seen or heard, looking out over a stunning view of Herefordshire with visibility of perhaps 50 miles, sharing a smoke with 2 great friends and Monnowphiles.

Thanks to all who so generously supported us - the funds raised will be put to good use and will enable our attempts to eradicate the wretched balsam and continue with the control of the mink.

Thanks to Malcolm who came all the way from Salisbury to record and chronicle our efforts (OK he did get some great fishing in too!)

Huge thanks to Neil aka "Back-up" for all his help with water, grub, fags, lifts and moral support

And a massive thank you to Rob without whom I would/could not have undertaken this wonderful adventure.

Be assured - from start to finish our river is in fantastic shape - we are very lucky to have her.

P

PS Rob, Malcolm and Neil have photos but following the shaving off of my beard of 35 years (in order to achieve further funding) the pictures have been censored as unsafe and not fit for public consumption (I wish!)

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Trout fishermen revere the trout; trout, on the other hand, unaware of their sublime standing in man's world, revere nothing, including man, a creature they seem to view with special contempt. Nihilism is a rare trait in fish but trout are full of it. The old men liked that.