The River Ivel is a river

River

A river is a natural watercourse, usually freshwater, flowing towards an ocean, a lake, a sea, or another river. In a few cases, a river simply flows into the ground or dries up completely before reaching another body of water. Small rivers may also be called by several other names, including...

 in the east of England

England

England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...

. It is a tributary

Tributary

A tributary or affluent is a stream or river that flows into a main stem river or a lake. A tributary does not flow directly into a sea or ocean...

 of the River Great Ouse

River Great Ouse

The Great Ouse is a river in the east of England. At long, it is the fourth-longest river in the United Kingdom. The river has been important for navigation, and for draining the low-lying region through which it flows. Its course has been modified several times, with the first recorded being in...

.

Course of the Ivel

The river Ivel rises just north of Baldock

Baldock

Baldock is a historic market town in the local government district of North Hertfordshire in the ceremonial county of Hertfordshire, England where the River Ivel rises. It lies north of London, southeast of Bedford, and north northwest of the county town of Hertford...

 in Hertfordshire

Hertfordshire

Hertfordshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England. The county town is Hertford.The county is one of the Home Counties and lies inland, bordered by Greater London , Buckinghamshire , Bedfordshire , Cambridgeshire and...

, but most of its course lies within Bedfordshire

Bedfordshire

Bedfordshire is a ceremonial county of historic origin in England that forms part of the East of England region.It borders Cambridgeshire to the north-east, Northamptonshire to the north, Buckinghamshire to the west and Hertfordshire to the south-east....

. It flows through Stotfold

Stotfold

Stotfold is a small town and civil parish in the county of Bedfordshire.In the 19th century, Stotfold was regarded as a wealthy place. The saying was that to live in Stotfold, one has to have £100 and a pig. The town is divided by a long road, High Street, which separates the north side from the...

, Arlesey

Arlesey

Arlesey is a small industrial town and civil parish in the district of Central Bedfordshire in Bedfordshire. It is located on the border with Hertfordshire, about three miles north-west of Letchworth Garden City, four miles north of Hitchin and six miles south of Biggleswade. Arlesey railway...

, Henlow

Henlow

Henlow is a village and civil parish in the district of Central Bedfordshire in Bedfordshire, England.RAF Henlow, is located nearby, but is in fact nearer to the village of Stondon...

, Langford

Langford, Bedfordshire

Langford is a village and civil parish situated alongside the River Ivel in the county of Bedfordshire.-Origins:The village is of Saxon origin, first mentioned in 944AD. and at one time it had one or more fording points across the river. The name is based on the words long ford from the length of...

, Biggleswade

Biggleswade

Biggleswade is a market town and civil parish located on the River Ivel in Bedfordshire, England. It is well served by transport routes, being close to the A1 road between London and the North, as well as having a railway station on the main rail link North from London .-Geography:Located about 40...

, Sandy

Sandy, Bedfordshire

Sandy is a small market town and civil parish in Bedfordshire, England. It is between Cambridge and Bedford, and on the A1 road from London to Edinburgh. The area is dominated by a range of hills known as the Sand Hills. The River Ivel runs through Sandy. The dedication of the Anglican church is to...

 and Blunham

Blunham

Blunham is a village and civil parish in the Central Bedfordshire district of Bedfordshire, England, about eight miles east of Bedford. The village is just off the A1 road, near Great Barford and Sandy, and is near the confluence of the River Ivel with the River Great Ouse...

. It joins the Great Ouse near Tempsford

Tempsford

Tempsford is a village and civil parish in the English county of Bedfordshire.The village is split by the A1 Great North Road and is located just before the junction with the A428 at the Black Cat Roundabout...

. The total length is about 25 km.

Flooding

The section from Langford to Blunham

Blunham

Blunham is a village and civil parish in the Central Bedfordshire district of Bedfordshire, England, about eight miles east of Bedford. The village is just off the A1 road, near Great Barford and Sandy, and is near the confluence of the River Ivel with the River Great Ouse...

, including Sandy, is designated as a Flood Warning Area. For further details see the Environment Agency website

Nature Trail

The 'Kingfisher Way' is a 34 km / 21 mile nature trail, which mostly follows the River Ivel from its source at Ivel Springs in Baldock, through to its confluence with the River Great Ouse at Tempsford. [This website is, on 12 Jul. 2011, merely a source of advertisements]

Navigating the Ivel

Although the river is no longer navigable to larger craft it is possible to canoe with care along the 11 km/ seven miles of river between Biggleswade and Tempsford. This, of course, is advisable only under good conditions, when the river is not too low or too high.

Angling on the Ivel

Much of the River Ivel has fishing rights reserved by local angling clubs and associations including:

Biggleswade & Hitchin Angling Association http://www.bighitaa.co.uk/

Blunham Angling Club http://www.blunhamac.co.uk/

Shefford & District AA http://www.shefforddaa.org.uk/

The Ivel is becoming known for the quality and size of specimen fish that can be caught, including barbel (10-17+ lbs), perch (4 lbs+), chub (7 lbs+), roach and carp to 20 lb, and pike.

External links

• Case study of the River Ivel Walk nr Biggleswade