River Winster

The River Winster from the road to Hartbarrow

The River Winster divides Lancashire North of the Sands from Westmorland, forming almost the whole of that boundary from Windermere to the Kent Estuary. It has a relatively small basin, swalling other streams which flow parallel to it on either side.

The Winster is about 12 miles long, and rises about a mile south of Bowness-on-Windermere, between the hamlets of Winster and Storrs (the latter on the Windermere shore). From its source the Winster forms the Lancashire-Westmorland border, and flows steadily southwards, flowing past the settlements of Ludderburn, Hartbarrow and Bowland Bridge, before it is joined by Arndale Beck at Bridge House.

From there, the river continues through a valley between Whitbarrow and Cartmel Fell, flowing through Helton Tarn. It continues between the villages of Lindale and Meathop, and finally flows into the Kent estuary just downstream from Arnside.

A former course of the river joined the Kent at Blawith Point, and as a result the peninsula of Holme Island often changed hands between Lancashire and Westmorland.

Packhorse Bridges

There are two packhorse bridges on this river near Winster. The Winster Bridge (1729 with 20th-century parapet) on the river at 54°19’37"N, 2°54’8"W Another packhorse bridge (probably of the 17th-century, and now Grade II listed, is on a tributary of the River Winster (54°20’27"N, 2°54’18"W), beside the A5074 road.

Location

• Location map: 54°12’10"N, 2°52’15"W