River Yeo

The River Yeo, also called the River Ivel, is a small tributary of the River Parrett. It flows through the gentle hills of north Dorset and south Somerset. The river begins in the North Dorset Downs and passes through Sherborne and its lake. It continues through Yeovil, Yeovilton and Ilchester, all towns that share its name. Near Langport, the Yeo joins the Parrett after forming part of the county border for a few miles. The river’s name comes from an old Celtic word meaning ‘forked river’, later shaped by Old English for ‘river’. It is wide enough for small boats to travel eight miles upstream from the Parrett to Ilchester. Several smaller streams feed the Yeo, including the River Gascoigne near Sherborne and the River Wriggle further along its course. Visitors walking beside the Yeo see quiet water meadows and farmland stretching away from its banks. The river winds past old stone bridges in Sherborne and the remains of Ilchester’s Roman past. Anglers sometimes stand along its edges hoping for trout or pike. The path beside the water offers calm views of Somerset’s gentle countryside.