The Wye was voted the nation’s favourite river in 2010. It rises in the mountains of mid-Wales and flows south for some 150 miles, becoming part of the border between Wales and England before meeting the Severn. In its lower stretches, it meanders for 45 miles (72 km) through the Wye Valley Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, from just south of Hereford down to Chepstow. In recent years the Wye has come under increasing pressure as water quality has declined and the climate and nature crises have impacted on the health of the river.