The Costers Brook

 Costers Brook in West Lavington on its way from its source near Cocking to Midhurst, where it joins the River Rother near Cowdray House. 

The Brook is a great source of many varieties of fish including sea and brown trout, eels, lamprey etc. The Rother on the other hand was failing to meet the EU requirements for fish habitat. A project was introduced to remove obstructions in the Brook so that fish can reach the Rother – a dilapidated mill weir (the mill is now a private house), a culverted bridge giving access to a farm and sand deposits. Works were carried out successfully in 2012, including a fish baffle easement (a ladder to you and me). 

Costers Brook is a very pretty chalk stream along the different lengths we have walked. Good that its value has been recognised without spoiling its appearance.