Bartley Water

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The Bartley Water west of Busketts Lawn Inclosure

Bartley Water is a small river in the New Forest in south-western Hampshire. It drains the north and north-east of the Forest up to the A31 road, a watershed and two villages against the north-east side of the Forest.

The two upper branches of the brook unite in Bartley from where it flows north-east to Eling where it becomes a narrow tidal estuary into the Southampton Water; an arm of the Solent.

The tidal part of the river (but not the natural low water flow) drives the working historic Eling Tide Mill at Eling. Here too a toll road crosses the river.

The river is also an important recreational and wildlife haven, especially at the tidal, Eling end of the river.

Despite being shallow in many places the stream is home to brown and rainbow trout that average about 10 to 12 inches long.

Its farthest source is the Mill Stream, which is the main contributor to its south branch and rises north-west of Lyndhurst.

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