Supporters Guided Walk at Mottisfont
October 2025
Earlier this month, we were delighted to welcome our supporters for a guided walk along the River Test at Mottisfont. The day offered a unique opportunity to explore the river’s ongoing restoration and see firsthand how interventions are helping this iconic chalk stream thrive.
Visiting the Restoration Sites
The walk took us along several areas where we’ve carried out significant restoration work. One 50m stretch of riverbank had previously been lined almost entirely with concrete sandbags, covered with just a thin layer of soil. During restoration, we removed the concrete and replaced it with a gently sloping margin made from locally dug floodplain gravel. This created an ideal environment for emergent plants, aquatic insects, and juvenile fish, while also improving drought resilience. Marginal turfs and topsoil from just upstream were laid over the gravel to help the area green up — it was amazing to see how well the vegetation had recovered.
At the upstream end of this stretch, a rock weir was removed. The concrete weir had been preventing the river from flowing naturally. Its removal, along with gently pushed-over bankside willows and graded banks, has created low overhead cover and sloping margins that benefit both wildlife and river flow.
Elsewhere, large numbers of bankside trees were either felled or hinged into the channel. In areas lacking trees, we transported them from nearby woodland. These woody features create diverse flows, scour gravel clean, and provide shelter for juvenile and adult fish.
A Historic Lunch Stop
Halfway along the walk, we paused at the iconic Halfords Fishing Hut on the Oakley Beat. Built in 1908, this thatched shelter holds a special place in angling history as the working base of Frederic Michael Halford, often called the father of modern dry-fly fishing. Sitting here for lunch, supporters were able to appreciate the long-standing connection between people and the River Test, linking past traditions to today’s conservation efforts.
Restoring Flow and Diversity
After lunch, our final walk took us to a section of the river that had been significantly widened and straightened in the past. The slow-flowing, silty channel was far from the biodiverse chalk stream it should be.
Our restoration work focused on returning the river to its natural shape and dimensions. We brought in floodplain gravel to reshape the banks, topped it with soil, and translocated plants from the old bank to the new margins. This encouraged water to flow more freely, scoured excess silt, and allowed the classic chalk stream plant community to re-establish quickly.
Since the project’s completion, the riverbed has naturally cleaned itself, invertebrates have returned, and wildlife including fish, birds, and mammals are benefiting from the enhanced habitat. Over the next few years, this stretch will continue to develop and thrive — a perfect example of how careful, science-led restoration can bring a chalk stream back to life.
Supporter Feedback
The day was warmly received by everyone who joined us:
“Brilliant inspiring work, thank you all for sharing a slice of it with us.”
“It was especially good to meet face to face and see the amazing work WRT is doing.”
“I don’t think I realised what a diverse and all-encompassing organisation WessexRT has become – the range of your work is truly impressive and gives me hope for some small good in an otherwise fairly depressing world.”
Seeing the river’s progress together, from restored sections to areas still in need of care, reinforced just how much can be achieved when people come together for rivers.
A Shared Commitment
We are incredibly grateful to everyone who joined us, and to our partners who make this work possible.
If you’re not yet a Wessex Rivers Trust supporter, we’d love for you to join us. Your involvement ensures that rivers like the Test can continue to recover, flourish, and provide homes for wildlife.
