Wish Stream facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Wish Stream |
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The Wish Stream and King's Ride bridge at Wishmoor Bottom
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| Country | England |
| Counties | Berkshire, Surrey |
| Towns | Camberley |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Main source | Wishmoor Cross 51°21′54″N 0°44′08″W / 51.36500°N 0.73556°W |
| River mouth | River Blackwater Camberley 51°19′56″N 0°46′33″W / 51.33222°N 0.77583°W |
The Wish Stream is a small but important river in England. It flows into the River Blackwater. For most of its journey, it forms the border between Berkshire and Surrey counties.
The stream starts on open heathland north of Camberley. It then flows southwest, passing through the grounds of the famous Royal Military Academy Sandhurst. Along its path, two large lakes have been created. After leaving the academy, the stream flows under a shopping area and major roads. Finally, it joins the Blackwater River.
Journey of the Wish Stream
The Wish Stream flows through an area with special ground. There's a layer of London Clay covered by Bagshot sand and gravel. Sometimes, the clay is close to the surface. This means rainwater can't soak in easily and runs over the ground.
The stream starts from a spring at Wishmoor Cross. Some people thought the name came from a "wishing well" there. However, it's more likely from an old Celtic word for "water." Until the 1960s, the stream marked the boundary between Berkshire and Surrey.
Starting Point and Early Flow
The Wish Stream begins on heathland north of Camberley. This area is used for military training, so access is limited. As it flows southwest, it drops in height. It enters a valley called Wishmoor Bottom. Here, the stream splits into three parallel channels.
These channels pass under King's Ride and another track. They then go around military housing that belongs to the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst. The channels are connected by special gates called sluices. One channel flows into a large tank. This area was important for collecting water.
Water Supply for the Academy
The stream provided all the water needed for the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst. This was true even during dry summer months. Water from the surrounding moorlands was collected in tanks. A steam engine then pumped this water to reservoirs. The Wish Stream was the academy's only water source until the 1960s.
Old maps show a waterworks near the Bathing Pool. Later maps from 1911 show it became a pumping station.
Lakes and Diversions
Below the tanks, two channels continue, flowing over small dams called weirs. They pass under Dawnay Road and are joined by water from nearby springs. The water then drops into the Bathing Pool over a weir. A small side-channel bypasses the pool. The Bathing Pool covers about 1.63 acres (0.66 hectares).
After the Bathing Pool, the stream used to flow southwest to the Lower Lake. But in the late 1960s, the academy expanded. New buildings, called the East Buildings, were constructed. To make space, the stream's path was changed. It now flows around the northern and western sides of these buildings.
The new path includes a series of small ponds and weirs. At the southwest corner, the Wish Stream enters the Lower Lake. This lake is about 19.97 acres (8.08 hectares) in size. There's also an Upper Lake nearby, which is about 9.94 acres (4.02 hectares). It collects water from drains and overflows into the Lower Lake.
Joining the Blackwater River
Water flows out of the Lower Lake and goes under Yorktown Bridge. It continues its descent to the Blackwater River, with more weirs along the way. The stream splits into two channels. One is called Old Mill Stream, and the other is still called Wish Stream.
As the channels leave the academy grounds, they go into underground tunnels called culverts. A large supermarket was built over these tunnels. The channels then emerge as a single stream. This stream passes under a large roundabout where several main roads meet. In 1990, the stream had to be moved north because of road construction. This section no longer follows the county boundaries. Finally, the Wish Stream joins the Blackwater River.
History of the Area
In 1800, the land around the Wish Stream belonged to William Pitt. In 1801, the government agreed to buy 450 acres (182 hectares). They wanted to build a college to train military personnel. This decision was officially approved in 1802. The land included a Manor House, a farm, and a water mill.
Work on the college began in 1808. They built a bridge over the mill pond's outlet. Fences were put up around the grounds, and trees were planted. The main college building was built above the mill pond. The pond was then made larger to become the Lower Lake. Sand and gravel from the pond were used to hide the lower floor of the college building.
Creating the Lakes
Before the Bathing Lake was dug, the area was a swamp. Work to create the Bathing Lake started in 1814 and finished in 1818. The project had some challenges. The Royal Staff Corps, who were doing the work, asked for protection from the cadets. The cadets were using the wooden planks as rafts on the unfinished lake! The workers had to retrieve the planks to continue their job. They asked for a sergeant to stop the cadets from interfering. Work on making the Lower Lake larger was also happening around this time.
Changes to the Stream and Ponds
The Wish Stream was rerouted around the East Buildings, now known as Victory College. A series of new ponds and weirs were created. To improve fishing, the ponds were lined with chalk and gravel. This was done to make the water less acidic. However, by 1982, a thick layer of sludge and leaves had covered this, making the water acidic again.
The ponds on the north side of Victory College are called the Upper and Lower Churchill Pools. They are named after the Winston Churchill memorial hall nearby. On the west side, there were ponds called Princes Pool, Upper and Lower Rose Pools, and Bridge Pool. In 1979, the Lower Rose Pool was renamed Plum's Pool. This was to honor a staff member known as 'Plum' Warner. He had worked hard to create a successful Trout Fishing Club at the academy.
Historic Buildings Along the Stream
Several historic buildings are found along the Wish Stream within the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst. These are "listed buildings," meaning they are protected for their special history.
- Government House: This building was the manor house when the estate was bought. It was built in the late 1700s. It became the commanding officer's house in the early 1800s. It has three stories in its main part and two stories in a side wing.
- Old College: Built between 1807 and 1812, this building has a long, symmetrical design. It has two stories and an attic. At the back, there are three wing-shaped sections for living spaces. These were added in 1862.
- New Building: This building was constructed between 1911 and 1918. It has a central officer's mess and canteen. On both sides, there are H-shaped blocks for cadets. Passages connect the three parts.
Wildlife and Nature
The upper part of the Wish Stream is part of a special nature area. This area is called the Broadmoor to Bagshot Heaths and Woods Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). It's very important for certain birds like the Dartford warbler, nightjar, and woodlark. It's also home to many dragonfly and damselfly species.
Wishmoor Bottom is one of the best examples of a "valley bog" habitat. Nine types of sphagnum moss grow here, with two being very rare. You can also find plants like hare's-tail cotton-grass and different types of ferns.
Conservation groups are working to improve the heathland. They are cutting down many trees to help the original heath plants grow back. Surveys show that the number of nesting birds has increased a lot since this project started. The Upper Lake is a breeding ground for toads. Thousands of toads arrive there in February or March. The young toads, about the size of a fingernail, leave the lake in June. They can travel up to 0.5 miles (0.8 km) in a week to reach the woods.
Fish in the Stream
The water from Wishmoor Cross is usually clear, but it has a copper color from the peat. It's quite acidic, which means not many weeds or insects grow there. This makes it a challenging place for trout to live. However, the stream still has a good number of brown trout and rainbow trout.
The Bathing Lake has many wild brown trout. They use the gravel beds of the Wish Stream to lay their eggs. The peat in the water gives them a deep golden color. Trout were first brought to the river in 1925. In 1963, lime was added to the Bathing Lake water to make it less acidic. This helped the fish. It was surprising to find that some rainbow trout were surviving through the winter. By 1977, it was clear that the brown trout were successfully breeding on their own.
When the Wish Stream was rerouted, the new ponds were made of concrete. They were lined with chalk and gravel to control the water's acidity. But by 1982, a thick layer of sludge had formed. Brown trout and rainbow trout are added to the river most years. In 1982, about 2,500 fish were added. The lakes also have other fish like roach and perch. In the 1960s, about 20,000 of these "coarse fish" were removed each year.
Protecting the Stream's Habitat
The Environment Agency checked the Wish Stream's health in 2009 and 2010. They looked at how fish could move along the stream. They found many wild brown trout above the Bathing Lake. But below the Lower Lake, there were no trout. This was because the habitat was damaged, and the weirs blocked fish movement.
They suggested simple improvements, which were done. These included cutting back trees to let more light reach the stream. They also cleared rhododendrons and added woody debris to the water. This helped improve the fish habitat.
In 2012, the Wild Trout Trust did another survey. They focused on the part of the stream inside the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst. They found that the section above the Bathing Pool was natural. Woody debris provided good hiding spots for trout, and the gravel was good for spawning.
However, one part of the river flowed through a concrete pipe. This pipe was part of the cadet obstacle course. The water here was fast but very shallow. Fish washed downstream into the Bathing Pool couldn't easily return upstream. The ponds around the East Buildings lacked hiding places and had a lot of silt. The connections between these ponds were shallow concrete channels, making it hard for fish to move between them.
The outflow from the Lower Lake has a large stepped weir. The water then flows through a shallow concrete tunnel. Both of these block fish from moving. The high weirs below the lake also slow the water, causing silt to cover the stream bed. The tunnels under the retail park and roundabout were not seen as a problem for fish. They usually have enough water depth.
To help the wild trout, experts suggested changes to the concrete pipe upstream. They also recommended changes to the edges of the ponds between the two lakes. This might include adding floating islands. Changes to the weirs and overflow structure of the Lower Lake were also suggested. Some of these improvements could be done easily. However, changing the weirs would need more money and heavy machinery.
