Wootton Creek facts for kids
Wootton Creek is a special kind of waterway called a tidal estuary. This means it's where the fresh water from a river meets the salty water of the sea. Wootton Creek flows into a famous channel called the Solent, which is located on the north coast of the Isle of Wight.
Over time, this estuary has been known by a few different names, like "Fishbourne Creek," "Wootton River," and "Wootton Haven."
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Exploring Wootton Creek
Wootton Creek is an important place for travel and local life. At the very start of the estuary, where it meets the Solent, you'll find the Wightlink car ferry terminal. This is where large ferries connect the Isle of Wight to Portsmouth on the mainland.
Villages by the Water
Two villages sit on either side of the creek. On the west side, you'll find the village of Wootton. On the east side, there's the village of Fishbourne. Both villages have a long history connected to the creek.
The Bridge and the Old Mill
A main road connects the towns of Ryde and Newport by crossing over the estuary. Long ago, there was a tide mill at this spot. A tide mill uses the power of the rising and falling tides to turn a water wheel, which then grinds grain.
Today, the part of the estuary south of the bridge isn't used by boats. Special controls keep water in this area most of the time, creating a calm "mill pond" where the old tide mill used to be.
Firestone Copse Woodland
On the east side of the mill pond, south of the bridge, there's a lovely Forestry Commission woodland called "Firestone Copse." This forest covers about 30 acres (which is about 120,000 square meters) and is a great place to explore nature.
Protecting Nature at Wootton Creek
Since 1993, Wootton Creek and the nearby Ryde Sands have been given a special protection status. They are known as Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs). This is because they have a wide variety of "intertidal sand flats." These are areas of sand that are covered by water at high tide and exposed at low tide, providing a home for many different plants and animals.
