Clough River

The Clough River is a tributary of the River Rawthey in Cumbria. It flows for about twenty-two kilometres through Garsdale valley, rising near Grisedale Pike. The river begins where small streams join at Grisedale Beck before dropping over a waterfall. It is named Clough at Clough Farm in Garsdale Head, where it enters Garsdale between Baugh Fell to the north and Rise Hill to the south. The river remains shallow and rocky for most of its course, with only a few deeper pools. The Clough is followed closely by the A684 road for seven miles, crossing it many times with bridges. Near Longstone Fell the road rises to a viewpoint over the Howgill Fells. The river passes Danny Bridge, the site of a 17th-century mill on the old road, before meeting the River Rawthey at Dowbiggin Foot near Sedbergh. From there it joins the River Lune at Middleton Bridge. In 1985 the Sedgwick Trail was opened along the Clough, named after geologist Adam Sedgwick, to show rock features along the Dent Fault. The Clough River still runs through the Yorkshire Dales National Park even though it lies in Cumbria’s Westmorland and Furness district. Walkers can follow the river from Danny Bridge along the Sedgwick Trail to study the exposed rocks. The surrounding fells and valleys offer views of Baugh Fell and Rise Hill. The cold water provides occasional swimming spots in deeper pools. The river’s course ends where it merges with larger rivers near Sedbergh.