River Duddon
Encyclopedia
The Duddon is a river of north-west England
. It rises at a point 1289 feet (393 m) above sea level near the Three Shire Stone
at the highest point of Wrynose Pass
. The river descends to the sea over a course of about 15 miles (24 km) before entering the Irish Sea
at the Duddon Sands
. For its entire length the Duddon forms the boundary between the historic counties
of Lancashire
and Cumberland. Since local government re-organisation in 1974 the Duddon has been in the county of Cumbria
.
The catchment area of the River Duddon includes a substantial part of the south-western Lake District
fells, including the eastern slopes of Corney Fell, Ulpha Fell and Harter Fell; the southern slopes of the mountains around the head of Langdale, and the western slopes of Dunnerdale and Seathwaite Fells.
From its source the Duddon falls rapidly over a distance of two miles (3.2 km) to Cockley Beck
at the head of Dunnerdale. Close to the hamlet of Seathwaite the Tarn Beck from Seathwaite Tarn
is subsumed. The river then takes a south-westerly direction to Ulpha Bridge. Passing under the Duddon Valley
road, the river assumes a southerly course to Duddon Bridge where it is crossed by the A595 trunk road
. After about a mile (1.6 km) the Duddon becomes tidal as it opens into the Duddon Estuary between Furness
and south-west Cumberland.
The poet William Wordsworth
wrote extensively of the Duddon, a river he knew and loved from his early years. He wrote his lyric sequence "The River Duddon, A Series of Sonnets" between 1804 and 1820. This sequence first appeared in The River Duddon, A Series of Sonnets: Vaudracour and Julia: And Other Poems. To which is annexed a Topographical Description of the Country of the Lakes in the North of England in April 1820, and later in Wordsworth's Miscellaneous Poems in July 1820. (Although it was first published as a series of 33 sonnet
s, the Duddon series was expanded to 34 sonnet
s in the Poetical Works of 1827.)
Sonnet I.
More recently, the River Duddon and the Duddon Estuary have figured prominently in the work of the Cumbrian poet Norman Nicholson
.
The River Duddon is a salmon
fishery. The section of the river downstream from Seathwaite is popular with canoeists
and is graded as 3 with some easy 4. Many parts of the Duddon Valley are visited by tourists, but the location is outside the main tourist area of the Lake District. Consequently most of the visitors are day trippers who live locally.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. It rises at a point 1289 feet (393 m) above sea level near the Three Shire Stone
Three Shire Stone (Lake District)
The Three Shire Stone is a boundary stone that marks the location where the historic English counties of Lancashire, Cumberland and Westmorland meet...
at the highest point of Wrynose Pass
Wrynose Pass
The Wrynose Pass is a mountain pass in the Lake District National Park in Cumbria, England between the Duddon Valley and Little Langdale.-Road:...
. The river descends to the sea over a course of about 15 miles (24 km) before entering the Irish Sea
Irish Sea
The Irish Sea separates the islands of Ireland and Great Britain. It is connected to the Celtic Sea in the south by St George's Channel, and to the Atlantic Ocean in the north by the North Channel. Anglesey is the largest island within the Irish Sea, followed by the Isle of Man...
at the Duddon Sands
Duddon Estuary
The Duddon Estuary is the sandy, gritty estuary of the River Duddon that lies between Morecambe Bay and the west Cumbrian coast.It opens into the Irish Sea to the north of the Furness peninsula; Walney Island forming part of its southern edge...
. For its entire length the Duddon forms the boundary between the historic counties
Counties of the United Kingdom
The counties of the United Kingdom are subnational divisions of the United Kingdom, used for the purposes of administrative, geographical and political demarcation. By the Middle Ages counties had become established as a unit of local government, at least in England. By the early 17th century all...
of Lancashire
History of Lancashire
The History of Lancashire begins with its establishment as a county of England in 1182, making it one of the youngest of the historic counties of England.-Early history:In the Domesday Book, some of its lands had been treated as part of Yorkshire...
and Cumberland. Since local government re-organisation in 1974 the Duddon has been in the county of 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...
.
The catchment area of the River Duddon includes a substantial part of the south-western Lake District
Lake District
The Lake District, also commonly known as The Lakes or Lakeland, is a mountainous region in North West England. A popular holiday destination, it is famous not only for its lakes and its mountains but also for its associations with the early 19th century poetry and writings of William Wordsworth...
fells, including the eastern slopes of Corney Fell, Ulpha Fell and Harter Fell; the southern slopes of the mountains around the head of Langdale, and the western slopes of Dunnerdale and Seathwaite Fells.
From its source the Duddon falls rapidly over a distance of two miles (3.2 km) to Cockley Beck
Cockley Beck
Cockley Beck is a small hamlet, situated in the Duddon Valley valley in Cumbria, England.Located today within the Lake District National Park, it was established in the late 16th century, and is closely associated with the mining of copper ore in Cumbria....
at the head of Dunnerdale. Close to the hamlet of Seathwaite the Tarn Beck from Seathwaite Tarn
Seathwaite Tarn
Seathwaite Tarn is a reservoir in the Furness Fells within the English Lake District. It is located to the south of Grey Friar and to the west of Brim Fell and north east of the village of Seathwaite on the east of the Duddon Valley.In order to create a source of drinking water the existing tarn...
is subsumed. The river then takes a south-westerly direction to Ulpha Bridge. Passing under the Duddon Valley
Duddon Valley
The Duddon Valley is a valley in the Lake District National Park in Cumbria, England. The River Duddon flows through the valley, rising in the mountains between Eskdale and Langdale, before flowing into the Irish Sea near Broughton in Furness...
road, the river assumes a southerly course to Duddon Bridge where it is crossed by the A595 trunk road
A595 road
The A595 is a primary route in Cumbria, in northern England that starts in Carlisle, passes through Whitehaven, and goes close to Workington, Cockermouth and Wigton. It passes Sellafield and Ravenglass before ending at the Dalton-in-Furness by-pass, in southern Cumbria, where it joins the A590...
. After about a mile (1.6 km) the Duddon becomes tidal as it opens into the Duddon Estuary between Furness
Furness
Furness is a peninsula in south Cumbria, England. At its widest extent, it is considered to cover the whole of North Lonsdale, that part of the Lonsdale hundred that is an exclave of the historic county of Lancashire, lying to the north of Morecambe Bay....
and south-west Cumberland.
The poet William Wordsworth
William Wordsworth
William Wordsworth was a major English Romantic poet who, with Samuel Taylor Coleridge, helped to launch the Romantic Age in English literature with the 1798 joint publication Lyrical Ballads....
wrote extensively of the Duddon, a river he knew and loved from his early years. He wrote his lyric sequence "The River Duddon, A Series of Sonnets" between 1804 and 1820. This sequence first appeared in The River Duddon, A Series of Sonnets: Vaudracour and Julia: And Other Poems. To which is annexed a Topographical Description of the Country of the Lakes in the North of England in April 1820, and later in Wordsworth's Miscellaneous Poems in July 1820. (Although it was first published as a series of 33 sonnet
Sonnet
A sonnet is one of several forms of poetry that originate in Europe, mainly Provence and Italy. A sonnet commonly has 14 lines. The term "sonnet" derives from the Occitan word sonet and the Italian word sonetto, both meaning "little song" or "little sound"...
s, the Duddon series was expanded to 34 sonnet
Sonnet
A sonnet is one of several forms of poetry that originate in Europe, mainly Provence and Italy. A sonnet commonly has 14 lines. The term "sonnet" derives from the Occitan word sonet and the Italian word sonetto, both meaning "little song" or "little sound"...
s in the Poetical Works of 1827.)
Sonnet I.
- NOT envying shades which haply yet may throw
- A grateful coolness round that rocky spring,
- Bandusia, once responsive to the string
- Of the Horatian lyre with babbling flow;
- Careless of flowers that in perennial blow
- Round the moist marge of Persian fountains cling;
- Heedless of Alpine torrents thundering
- Through icy portals radiant as heaven’s bow;
- I seek the birth-place of a native Stream.—
- All hail, ye mountains! hail, thou morning light!
- Better to breathe at large on this aëry height
- Than toil in needless sleep from dream to dream;
- Pure flow the verse, pure, vigorous, free, and bright,
- For Duddon, long-loved Duddon, is my theme!
More recently, the River Duddon and the Duddon Estuary have figured prominently in the work of the Cumbrian poet Norman Nicholson
Norman Nicholson
Norman Cornthwaite Nicholson OBE, , was an English poet, known for his association with the Cumberland town of Millom...
.
The River Duddon is a salmon
Salmon
Salmon is the common name for several species of fish in the family Salmonidae. Several other fish in the same family are called trout; the difference is often said to be that salmon migrate and trout are resident, but this distinction does not strictly hold true...
fishery. The section of the river downstream from Seathwaite is popular with canoeists
Canoeing
Canoeing is an outdoor activity that involves a special kind of canoe.Open canoes may be 'poled' , sailed, 'lined and tracked' or even 'gunnel-bobbed'....
and is graded as 3 with some easy 4. Many parts of the Duddon Valley are visited by tourists, but the location is outside the main tourist area of the Lake District. Consequently most of the visitors are day trippers who live locally.