THERE will be a four star bore heading along the River Severn on Thursday 20 March. The bore can be viewed at Minsterworth, Stonebench and
Unfortunately, there are no five star bores this year but the best four star bores can be seen on 20 March and 18 April, both of which occurring in daylight hours.
The Severn Bore is a tidal wave that occurs in the lower reaches of the River Severn and is one of the nation’s most interesting and unusual natural phenomena.
For a bore to form, a considerable rise in tide is needed in a converging channel with a rising riverbed, forming a funnel shape.
The size of the bore can be affected by wind direction, height of the incoming tide and freshwater moving downstream. It has been known to reach two metres in height and its average speed is 16km per hour.
The Severn Estuary receives the second highest tide anywhere in the world and the differences between the lowest and highest tide in one day can be more than 14.5 metres. These high or spring tides occur on several days in each lunar cycle throughout the spring and autumn.
The Environment Agency has recently published a newly designed leaflet providing details about the bore and a timetable of the best bores. The timetable only details tides that may result in major bores. Times are approximate and can vary by as much as 30 minutes each way. The leaflet also contains a map and advice on the best viewing locations as well as important safety information as spectators and river users need to be aware of the risks associated with the Bore.
A copy of the leaflet can be obtained from the Environment Agency by telephoning 0845 933 3111,
