River Kent
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Kent | |
|---|---|
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| Origin | Kentmere reservoir |
| Mouth | Morecambe Bay |
| Basin countries | England |
| Length | 32km (20miles) |
The River Kent is a short river in the county of Cumbria in England. The river originates in hills surrounding Kentmere, and flows for around 20 miles (32 km) into the north of Morecambe Bay, having passed through Kentmere, Staveley, Burneside, Kendal and Sedgwick on the way. The village of Arnside lies alongside the Kent estuary.
The rivers Mint, Sprint and Gowan join the Kent to the north of Kendal, with the river also joined by the River Gilpin and River Winster as it nears its estuary.
Near the source of the river is Kentmere reservoir, which was constructed in the mid 1800s to control the flow of the river, which at the time was used to power a number of water mills. Near Sedgwick, the river passes through a rock gorge which produces a number of low waterfalls. This section is popular with kayakers as it offers high quality whitewater for several days after rain.
On high spring tides, a tidal bore known as the Arnside Bore forms in the estuary opposite Arnside. The wave is often about 0.5m high.
The river is a designated Special Area of Conservation, particularly due to its population of White-clawed Crayfish. It is also a salmon and trout fishery. At Staveley there is a large weir and another in the town centre at Kendal. There are salmon leaps at Barley bridge in Staveley. The river was used to power numerous water mills throughout its history, including the Staveley bobbin mill and Kentmere water mill, and also the Thomas Cropper and Sons paper factory at Burneside.
