River Winster

The River Winster is a river in the English county of Cumbria. The Winster was the boundary between the ancient counties of Lancashire and Westmorland. It has a relatively small catchment area; other streams flow parallel to it on either side.

The river from the road to Hartbarrow

The Winster is about 20 km or 12 miles long, and rises about 2 km south of Bowness-on-Windermere, between the hamlets of Winster and Storrs (the latter is on Windermere) and follows a southerly course, 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.[1]

Packhorse Bridges

A packhorse bridge is a bridge intended to carry packhorses (horses loaded with sidebags or panniers) across a river or stream.[2]

There are two packhorse bridges on this river near Winster. The Winster Bridge (1729 with 20th-century parapet) on the river at 54.3269°N 2.9021°W / 54.3269; -2.9021[3] Another packhorse bridge (Probably 17th-century. Grade II listed[4]) is on a tributary of the River Winster at 54.3408°N 2.9051°W / 54.3408; -2.9051, adjacent to A5074 road.[5]

References
  1. Holme Island, BBC Cumbria. Retrieved 11 September 2006.
  2. "Packhorse Cargo". cottontown.org. Retrieved January 9, 2007.
  3. "Winster Bridge (That Part in Cartmel), Cartmel Fell". britishlistedbuildings.co.uk. Retrieved 13 November 2012.
  4. Grade II: buildings that are of special interest, warranting every effort to preserve them.
  5. "Pack Horse Bridge Beside A5074 a Quarter of a Mile North West of High Mill House, Crook". britishlistedbuildings.co.uk. Retrieved 19 November 2012.

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