River Gaunless facts for kids
The Gaunless is a river in County Durham, England. It's a smaller river that flows into the River Wear. Its name comes from an old language called Old Norse, and it means "useless." Even with that name, it's an important part of the local area!
Quick facts for kids River Gaunless |
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The Gaunless at Auckland Castle grounds.
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 Location of the mouth within County Durham
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| Country | England |
| District | County Durham |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Main source | Copley 230 m (750 ft) 54°37′12″N 1°52′12″W / 54.62000°N 1.87000°W |
| River mouth | River Wear, Bishop Auckland 70 m (230 ft) 54°40′15.60″N 1°40′10.21″W / 54.6710000°N 1.6695028°W |
Contents
Where the River Begins
The River Gaunless starts just south of a village called Copley. It forms when two smaller streams, Arn Gill and Hindon Beck, join together. Arn Gill flows from the south, while Hindon Beck comes from the north.
From there, the Gaunless flows east. It passes through several towns and villages. These include Butterknowle, Cockfield, and Evenwood. It then goes through West Auckland. Finally, it flows around the south and east sides of Bishop Auckland before meeting the River Wear.
A Special Weather Spot
Near where the river starts, at a place called Copley Lead Mill, there's a special weather station. Scientists use it to study the unique weather in this area. The river's starting point is in a "frost hollow." This means it's a low-lying area where cold air collects. Because of the surrounding hills, this spot gets no sunshine from October to March! This makes it a very cold and snowy place in winter.
Towns and Villages Along the River
The River Gaunless flows past or through several communities:
- Copley
- Butterknowle
- Evenwood
- West Auckland
- Bishop Auckland
Smaller Streams Joining In
A "tributary" is a smaller stream or river that flows into a larger one. The Gaunless has several tributaries that add to its flow:
- Arn Gill (one of the two streams that form the Gaunless)
- Hindon Beck (the other stream that forms the Gaunless)
- Cowclose Beck
- Foul Sike
- Cowclose Beck
- Grewburn Beck
- Howle Beck
- Gordon Beck
- Norton Fine Beck
- Oakley Cross Beck
- Hummer Beck
- Dene Beck
- Coundon Burn
Cool Bridges
The River Gaunless has some interesting bridges crossing it. One famous one is the Gaunless Viaduct. A viaduct is like a very long bridge, often with many arches, used to carry a road or railway over a valley or other obstacle. The Gaunless Viaduct was built in 1825. It was once the tallest viaduct on the South Durham & Lancashire Union Railway.
Other bridges include:
- Gaunless Bridge
- Swin Bridge
