River Lune

Geobox|River
name = Lune
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image_size = 300
image_caption = The Lune , with the local road, M6 motorway, and West Coast Main Line railway sharing the valley with the river
country = England
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length = 71
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source_name = Wath, Cumbria
source_location =
source_district = Ravenstonedale
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map_caption = :"For the fictional river in J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth, see Lhûn."

The River Lune is a river in Cumbria and Lancashire, England.

It is formed at Wath, in the parish of Ravenstonedale, Cumbria, at the confluence of Sandwath Beck and Weasdale Beck. The river then passes the remnants of a Roman fort near Low Borrowbridge at the foot of Borrowdale, and flows through south Cumbria, finally meeting the Irish Sea at Plover Scar near Lancaster, after a total journey of about 44 miles (71 km).

The valley of the Lune has three parts. The northern part between its source and Tebay is called Lunesdale, which is followed by the spectacular Lune Gorge through which both the M6 motorway and the West Coast Main Railway Line run. The part after the gorge in which the valley broadens out is known as Lonsdale.

Bridges over the Lune include the Devil's Bridge near Kirkby Lonsdale and the Lune Millennium Bridge in Lancaster, through which it passes. At Caton, about 5 miles upstream from Lancaster, there is a cluster of three bridges (one stone road bridge and two disued iron rail bridges now used as foot/cyclepaths) at the "Crook o' Lune". Here in a 180 righthand the Lune turns back on itself, followed by another lefthand 90 degree bend forming the shape of a shepherd's crook and creating a beauty spot which was one of the locations in the area painted by J. M. W. Turner.

The Lune is now tidal only below Skerton Weir in Lancaster. Four bridges in close proximity cross the estuary in Lancaster: Skerton Bridge (road), Greyhound Bridge (built as rail but now carries a road), Lune Millennium Bridge (pedestrian) and Carlisle Bridge (carrying the West Coast Main Line railway) which is the presently most downstream bridge. A Lancaster Western Bypass has been under discussion for many years. If it ever proceeds, a new bridge downstream from Carlisle bridge would be built. This part of the Lune is also the site of the old Port of Lancaster. Probably a port from Roman Times, the Lancaster Port Commission was established in 1750 [http://www.lancs.ac.uk/depts/cnwrs/papers%20on%20the%20web/arch%20conf%20synopses%201996.rtf] to improve navigation on the estuary. Between 1750, St George's Quay and New Quay were built in Lancaster and in 1779 the decision was taken to extend port facilties closer to the Irish Sea at Glasson Dock

Lancaster (and hence also Lancashire) is named after the Lune. The river is a County Biological Heritage Site.

Tributaries

*Janson Pool (draining Glasson Marsh near Glasson)
*Wood Bridge Pool (draining Lades Marsh near Sunderland)
*Lades Pool (via Lades Marsh, from Overton)
*Chapel Pool (east of Overton)
*River Conder
*Brant Beck (near Ashton Hall)
*Colloway Pool (opposite Stodday)
*Peggymarsh Pool
*Oxcliffe Pool
*Newton Beck (at Newton in Lancaster)
*Howgill Brook (at Beaumont in Lancaster)
*Cote Beck (just west of Halton)
*Denny Beck (opposite Halton)
*Halton Green Beck
**Monkley Gill Beck
*Escow Beck (at Crook o'Lune)
**Deys Beck
*Artle Beck (near Caton)
**Foxdale Beck
***Crossgill Beck
***Ragill Beck
****Closegill Beck
***Whitespout Gutter
***Rushbed Gutter
**Udale Beck
***Sweet Beck
***Bellhill Clough
***Oval Syke
*Highfield Beck
*Bull Beck (near Brookhouse)
**Kirk Beck
**Tarn Brook
***Traitor's Gill
*Mears Beck
*Westend Beck
**Barncroft Beck
*Clunter Beck (at Aughton)
*Claughton Beck
**Farleton Beck
*River Wenning
**River Hindburn
***River Roeburn
**Clapham Beck
***Fell Beck (Sinks into Gaping Gill and rises from Ingleborough Cave into Clapham Beck)
*Gressingham Beck (near Gressingham)
**High Dam Beck
*Spinks Gill Beck
*Thrush Gill (in Thrush Gill Wood)
*Old Lune
*Bains Beck (near Arkholme)
*Newton Beck
*River Greta
**River Doe
**River Twiss
***Kingdale Beck
****Back Gill
****Long Gill
*Leck Beck
*Sellet Mill Beck
*Barbon Beck
**Aygill
***Hazel Sike
**Barkin Beck
*Ashdale Gill
*Toss Beck
*Luge Gill
**Brow Gill
**Wrestle Gill
*River Rawthey
**River Dee
**Clough River
**Rawthey Gill
*Crosdale Beck
*Chapel Beck
**Bram Rigg Beck
**Calf Beck
**Long Rigg Beck
*Fairmile Beck
*Carlin Gill
*Borrow Beck
**Crookdale Beck
*Roundthwaite Beck
*Birk Beck
**Bretherdale Beck
**Wasdale Beck
*Chapel Beck
*Tebay Gill
*Rais Beck
*Ellergill Beck
*Langdale Beck
**Churngill Beck
***Udale Beck
*Cote Beck
*Bowderdale Beck
*Sandwath Beck
**Greenside Beck
***Dale Gill
*Weasdale Beck