Clough River
Encyclopedia
The Clough River is a river
in Northern England
.
The river rises at Grisedale in south-eastern Cumbria
, where a group of smaller stream
s draining Grisedale Pike converge as Grisedale Beck. The young Clough River then goes through a short valley (Grisedale, "The Dale That Died"), and over a waterfall
before being named Clough at Clough Farm, Garsdale Head, where it enters Garsdale
, a valley formed by the river between East Baugh Fell (to the north) and Rise Hill (south).
The Clough is mainly shallow and rocky, with occasional pools large enough for swimming, though the water is always cold. The A684 (Northallerton to Kendal) road follows the river for seven miles with frequent bridges in the upper part of the dale. At Longstone Fell the main (former turnpike) road rises to a well-known view-point looking over the Howgill Fells, and the river descends to Danny Bridge, the site of a seventeenth century mill on the “old road”, before merging with the River Rawthey
at Dowbiggin Foot near Sedbergh
, and joining the River Lune
at Middleton Bridge. The Sedgwick Trail, named after the well-known geologist Adam Sedgwick
(1785-1873) runs along the Clough from Danny Bridge and highlights rock features along the Dent Fault.
The ancient county through which the Clough River runs is the West Riding of Yorkshire
, and it is still part of the Yorkshire Dales National Park, though its entire length is now within the South Lakeland
district of Cumbria.
River
A river is a natural watercourse, usually freshwater, flowing towards an ocean, a lake, a sea, or another river. In a few cases, a river simply flows into the ground or dries up completely before reaching another body of water. Small rivers may also be called by several other names, including...
in Northern England
Northern England
Northern England, also known as the North of England, the North or the North Country, is a cultural region of England. It is not an official government region, but rather an informal amalgamation of counties. The southern extent of the region is roughly the River Trent, while the North is bordered...
.
The river rises at Grisedale in south-eastern Cumbria
Cumbria
Cumbria , is a non-metropolitan county in North West England. The county and Cumbria County Council, its local authority, came into existence in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972. Cumbria's largest settlement and county town is Carlisle. It consists of six districts, and in...
, where a group of smaller stream
Stream
A stream is a body of water with a current, confined within a bed and stream banks. Depending on its locale or certain characteristics, a stream may be referred to as a branch, brook, beck, burn, creek, "crick", gill , kill, lick, rill, river, syke, bayou, rivulet, streamage, wash, run or...
s draining Grisedale Pike converge as Grisedale Beck. The young Clough River then goes through a short valley (Grisedale, "The Dale That Died"), and over a waterfall
Waterfall
A waterfall is a place where flowing water rapidly drops in elevation as it flows over a steep region or a cliff.-Formation:Waterfalls are commonly formed when a river is young. At these times the channel is often narrow and deep. When the river courses over resistant bedrock, erosion happens...
before being named Clough at Clough Farm, Garsdale Head, where it enters Garsdale
Garsdale
Garsdale is a civil parish occupying a narrow populated valley in Cumbria, England. It is on the western slopes of the Pennines, between Baugh Fell to the north, and Rise Hill to the south. The main hamlet, called “The Street”, lies on the A684 road, east of Sedbergh, and west of Hawes...
, a valley formed by the river between East Baugh Fell (to the north) and Rise Hill (south).
The Clough is mainly shallow and rocky, with occasional pools large enough for swimming, though the water is always cold. The A684 (Northallerton to Kendal) road follows the river for seven miles with frequent bridges in the upper part of the dale. At Longstone Fell the main (former turnpike) road rises to a well-known view-point looking over the Howgill Fells, and the river descends to Danny Bridge, the site of a seventeenth century mill on the “old road”, before merging with the River Rawthey
River Rawthey
The River Rawthey is a river in Cumbria.The headwaters of the Rawthey are at Rawthey Gill Foot, where Rawthey Gill, whose own source is a confluence at Gill Head on East Baugh Fell, meets Haskhaw Gill....
at Dowbiggin Foot near Sedbergh
Sedbergh
Sedbergh is a small town in Cumbria, England. It lies about east of Kendal and about north of Kirkby Lonsdale. The town sits just within the Yorkshire Dales National Park...
, and joining the River Lune
River Lune
The River Lune is a river in Cumbria and Lancashire, England.It is formed at Wath, in the parish of Ravenstonedale, Cumbria, at the confluence of Sandwath Beck and Weasdale Beck...
at Middleton Bridge. The Sedgwick Trail, named after the well-known geologist Adam Sedgwick
Adam Sedgwick
Adam Sedgwick was one of the founders of modern geology. He proposed the Devonian period of the geological timescale...
(1785-1873) runs along the Clough from Danny Bridge and highlights rock features along the Dent Fault.
The ancient county through which the Clough River runs is the West Riding of Yorkshire
West Riding of Yorkshire
The West Riding of Yorkshire is one of the three historic subdivisions of Yorkshire, England. From 1889 to 1974 the administrative county, County of York, West Riding , was based closely on the historic boundaries...
, and it is still part of the Yorkshire Dales National Park, though its entire length is now within the South Lakeland
South Lakeland
South Lakeland is a local government district in Cumbria, England. Its council is based in Kendal. It includes much of the Lake District.The district was created on 1 April 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972...
district of Cumbria.