River Derwent, Cumbria

For other rivers called Derwent, see River Derwent (disambiguation).

Template:Geobox The Derwent is a river in the Lake District of the county of Cumbria in the north of England. The name Derwent is derived from a Celtic word for "oak trees" ( an alternative is dour water and (g)-went white / pure ) See under ; DUR ' http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~pbtyc/Misc/Etymology.html .

The river rises at Styhead Tarn underneath Scafell Pike and flows in a northerly direction through the valley of Borrowdale, before continuing through Derwentwater, giving the lake its name.

The Derwent then continues into Bassenthwaite Lake, picking up the waters of the River Greta just outside Keswick.

Beyond Bassenthwaite Lake the river flows westwards, providing crystal clear water for the newly formed Lakes Distillery, through the Isel Valley, before leaving the Lake District National Park just before reaching Cockermouth.

Another tributary is the River Cocker, which joins the Derwent at Cockermouth, through which the Derwent flows after exiting the Lake District on its now westerly course. After leaving Cockermouth, the river flows by Papcastle where a Roman fort bears the name of the river.

The river flows into the Irish Sea at Workington.

This is the Derwent river mentioned in the first book of William Wordsworth's The Prelude.

See also

• Rivers of the United Kingdom
• November 2009 Great Britain and Ireland floods
• Lake District Walks - Derwent Water Keswick