River Sprint

The River Sprint rises high on the south-facing slopes of Harter Fell in Cumbria. Its first two miles tumble through short flat sections broken by striking waterfalls before it reaches Longsleddale valley. Once in the valley it widens as it is joined by many becks fed from the surrounding fells. The river then continues south to meet the River Kent just below Burneside. The Sprint is England’s fastest rising river and often floods Longsleddale, cutting off the road. When in spate it becomes a dramatic sight and draws canoeists and anglers. Mills once stood at Garnett Bridge and Sprint Mill near Burneside, powered by the river from medieval times into the twentieth century. The Sprint and its tributaries form a Special Area of Conservation because they hold one of the strongest populations of white-clawed crayfish in the country. Peatland erosion in the headwaters has lowered water quality, but a restoration project on blanket bogs such as Borrowdale Moss aims to improve both water and flood management across the catchment.