River Crake facts for kids

The River Crake is a short river in the beautiful English Lake District. Its name probably comes from an old language called Celtic, meaning 'rocky stream'. This river flows out of Coniston Water at its southern end. It travels about 6 miles (9.5 km) south before joining the bigger River Leven near Greenodd. The river is in an area that became part of Cumbria county in 1974.

The river at Spark Bridge

Where the River Crake Flows

The River Crake starts its journey from the very bottom of Coniston Water. It then winds its way south through a valley. Along its path, it passes several small villages. These include Water Yeat, Blawith, Lowick Bridge, Spark Bridge, and Penny Bridge.

Besides the water from Coniston, the Crake also gets water from Beacon Tarn. This tarn is a small lake located in the Blawith Fells. It sits high up above the southern end of Coniston Water.

A Look Back in Time: Industries

Many years ago, in the 1800s, the River Crake was a busy place. Lots of factories and workshops were built along its banks. These businesses used the river's fast-flowing water to power their machines. For example, there was a cotton mill and an iron foundry.

One famous factory was a bobbin mill at Spark Bridge. This mill made wooden bobbins. Bobbins are spools that hold thread for the Lancashire cotton industry. The factory used water-powered machines to shape the wood. It kept running until the 1970s. It even used special water turbines to make its own electricity. Sadly, the factory eventually closed because of the high cost of using the river's water. Today, you won't see many signs of these old riverside industries.

Wildlife in the Crake

The River Crake is well-known for its fish. It is especially famous as a great place to find salmon. These amazing fish swim up the river to lay their eggs.

The Crake in Stories

Did you know the River Crake inspired a famous children's book series? The author Arthur Ransome used the River Crake as a model for the "Amazon River" in his "Swallows and Amazons" books. Even though the real Crake flows out of Coniston Water, the "Amazon" in the books flows into the lake. A small lake at the start of the river, called Allan Tarn, became the "Octopus Lagoon" in the stories.