Limestone rivers in Gloucestershire

Fishing Breaks has fly fishing for brown trout and grayling on the River Coln in Gloucestershire

Here is a good quiz question: Through which county in England do the longest, second longest and fifth longest rivers in the United Kingdom flow? The answer is Gloucestershire which boasts the River Severn (220 miles), the River Thames (215 miles) and the River Wye (135 miles).

Famous though they are it is not these rivers that the discerning fly fisher heads for whilst in the Cotswolds - much better known for trout fishing are the rivers Coln, Leach and Windrush.

Fishing Breaks has a lovely beat on the River Coln in the quaint Gloucestershire village of Colwyn St Aldwyn, part of the Williamstrip Park estate, 9 miles east of Cirencester.

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Our rivers

RIVER COLN

The River Coln rises at Brockhampton to the east of Cheltenham, and flows in a south/south-easterly direction through the Cotswold Hills via Andoversford, Withington, Fossbridge, Bibury, Coln St Aldwyns and Fairford. It joins the River Thames to the southwest of Lechlade, where it shares a confluence with the Thames and Severn Canal, by the Round House Footbridge.

Though not a chalkstream in the true sense, the River Coln does share some of the familiar characteristics as it takes its water from the limestone uplands of the Cotswolds. The river has abundant fly life, including a spectacular mayfly hatch and the ranunculus weed thrives.

COLN ST ALDWYN

The River Coln is a true limestone stream and without a doubt the best trout river in the Cotswolds, with Coln St Aldwyns the picture postcard essence of Gloucestershire.

The Estate has opened up, for the first time ever and exclusively for Fishing Breaks clients, the opportunity to fish the syndicate water. With two and a quarter miles over which to range there is a huge variety of fishing amidst the most beautiful, tranquil setting.

The limestone habitat is ideal for a diversity of fly hatches including a spectacular mayfly that runs from the last week in May through the first three weeks of June. The beat has a good head of wild trout supplemented by careful stocking of brown trout with, of course, grayling all looked after by the river keeper of the past four decades, John Reeves.

The beat is within five minutes walk of Coln St Aldwyn the perfect Cotswolds village with The New Inn a welcoming spot ideal for a pint, lunch and as somewhere to stay.



	No. RODS 1-2		COMPARE
No Dogs	17m	0.5m	0.5m
“Slow start but had a lovely evening rise.” “Nice small stream in lovely surroundings.” “Pretty stretch of river.”

April 1– May 11	£125 per Rod
May 12– June 8	£175 per Rod
June 9– September 30	£125 per Rod
October 1– March 14 (grayling)	£60 per Rod

For further details, please complete our enquiry form or e-mail info@fishingbreaks.co.uk

Fishing advice and flies

These limestone streams fish nearly year-round with trout from April to September and grayling October to March. Like the chalkstreams the hatches are hawthorn in April, mayfly in May/June with a mix of sedges, olives and terrestrials in the summer; damsel patterns are especially deadly. For more fishing advice and to buy flies click here.

Top Gloucestershire Flies:

April Dark Olive (12)	May Grey Wulff (10-14)	June Adams Parachute (12-16)
July “F” Fly (16-18)	August Crane Fly (Daddy Long Legs	September/October Sedge patterns