{{Short description|River in Cumbria, England}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} [[File:River Winster near Barkbooth - geograph.org.uk - 151322.jpg|thumb|right|300px|The river from the road to Hartbarrow]] The '''River Winster''' is a river in the [[England|English]] [[county]] of [[Cumbria]]. The Winster was the boundary between the historic counties of [[Lancashire]] and [[Westmorland]]. It has a relatively small catchment area; other streams flow parallel to it on either side.
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, Cumbria|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 [[River Kent|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.<ref>[https://www.bbc.co.uk/cumbria/content/articles/2006/08/04/islands_holme_2006_feature.shtml Holme Island], BBC Cumbria. Retrieved 11 September 2006.</ref>
==Packhorse Bridges==
A [[packhorse bridge]] is a [[bridge]] intended to carry [[packhorse]]s ([[horse]]s loaded with [[Saddlebag|sidebags]] or [[pannier]]s) across a [[river]] or [[stream]].<ref name="ctphw">{{cite web | title = Packhorse Cargo | publisher = cottontown.org | url = http://www.cottontown.org/page.cfm?pageid=698&language=eng | accessdate = January 9, 2007 | archive-date = 17 June 2006 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20060617063345/http://cottontown.org/page.cfm?pageid=698&language=eng | url-status = dead }}</ref>
There are two packhorse bridges on this river near [[Winster, Cumbria|Winster]]. The Winster Bridge (1729 with 20th-century parapet) on the river at <small>{{coord|54.3269|-2.9021|region:GB_type:landmark|display=inline}}</small><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/en-421178-winster-bridge-that-part-in-cartmel-cart |title=Winster Bridge (That Part in Cartmel), Cartmel Fell | publisher=britishlistedbuildings.co.uk | accessdate=13 November 2012}}</ref> Another packhorse bridge (Probably 17th-century. Grade II listed<ref>Grade II: buildings that are of special interest, warranting every effort to preserve them.</ref>) is on a tributary of the River Winster at <small>{{coord|54.3408|-2.9051|region:GB_type:landmark|display=inline}}</small>, adjacent to [[A5074 road]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/en-76397-pack-horse-bridge-beside-a5074-a-quarter- |title=Pack Horse Bridge Beside A5074 a Quarter of a Mile North West of High Mill House, Crook | publisher=britishlistedbuildings.co.uk | accessdate=19 November 2012}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
{{Coord|54.202814|-2.870805|display=title}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Winster, River}} [[Category:Rivers of Cumbria]] [[Category:Westmorland]] [[Category:Kent catchment|1Winster]]