River Clun

The River Clun winds through the Shropshire Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in western England. It rises near the Welsh border at Anchor, a small hamlet beside a marshy spot close to a public house. From there it flows east to the town of Clun, then turns south around Clunbury Hill. The valley widens into a broad flood plain as the river continues past villages such as Clunton and Aston on Clun. The Clun is one of only eleven English rivers that still holds the freshwater pearl mussel. Otters, salmon and white-clawed crayfish live along its banks, while grayling and brook lamprey swim in its waters. A citizen science group keeps watch on the river’s ecological health. Designated a European Special Area of Conservation, the Clun supports rural farming of beef, lamb, potatoes and maize. Historic bridges and fords mark the river’s course, including Clun Bridge in the town of Clun and Broadward Bridge further downstream. The Clun meets the River Teme just south of Broadward, which is itself a Site of Special Scientific Interest. Walkers can follow the river through quiet valleys and rolling farmland, tracing a landscape shaped by centuries of settlement and nature.