River Skerne facts for kids
The River Skerne is a river in England. It flows through County Durham and is a smaller river that joins the larger River Tees. The Skerne is about 25 miles (40 km) long. It starts in the hills near Trimdon and ends when it meets the River Tees at Hurworth Place.
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Where Does the River Skerne Flow?
The River Skerne begins in the Magnesian Limestone hills. These are found between the villages of Trimdon and Trimdon Grange. A few miles after it starts, another stream called Hurworth Burn joins the Skerne. Together, they flow into the Hurworth Burn Reservoir. This reservoir is on the edge of Stockton-on-Tees and County Durham.
After leaving the reservoir, the Skerne flows southwest towards Sedgefield. It passes through farmland between Fishburn and Sedgefield. It's thought that Fishburn got its name from the Skerne, meaning "the fish-stream."
Journey Towards Darlington
About three miles west of Fishburn, the river goes under the A1(M) motorway. This is near the Bradbury interchange. Here, the Skerne turns south. For about five miles (8 km), it flows next to the motorway and the East Coast Main Line railway. Many smaller streams join the Skerne in this area. Sometimes, these streams create small islands, like the Great Isle and Little Isle near Bradbury. One important stream that joins the Skerne is the Woodham Burn. This stream starts near Shildon and flows through Newton Aycliffe.
The Skerne flows around the village of Aycliffe. Then, it goes under the motorway again, near where it meets the A167. After this, it passes close to Brafferton. This is the farmland where the famous Durham Ox was raised a long time ago. The river then heads towards Barmpton, Great Burdon, and Haughton-le-Skerne. These places are on the edge of the large town of Darlington.
The Skerne in Darlington
The River Skerne flows right through Darlington. It goes under 17 bridges in the town! A part of Darlington, called Skerne Park, is even named after the river.
South of Darlington, the Skerne flows through South Park. After going under the A66 bridge, it leaves the town. For its last two miles (3 km), the Skerne flows through the countryside. Finally, it joins the River Tees at Hurworth Place.
Towns and Villages Along the Skerne
Here are some of the main places the River Skerne flows through, starting from where it begins:
- Fishburn
- Bishop Middleham
- Bradbury
- Newton Aycliffe
- Aycliffe Village
- Brafferton
- Barmpton
- Great Burdon
- Haughton-le-Skerne
- Darlington
- Hurworth Place
(This is where it joins the River Tees!)
River Restoration Project
Between 1995 and 1998, a big project was done to improve the River Skerne. This was called a "restoration scheme." It happened along a 2 km (1.2 mile) part of the river that flows through Darlington. The project aimed to make the river more natural and healthy.
The improvements included:
- Creating four new curves in the river, called meanders.
- Planting trees and plants to make the river banks stronger.
- Reshaping and narrowing the river bed.
- Building new footpaths next to the river.
- Adding plants to "bring the countryside into town."
This project was a demonstration, meaning it showed how rivers could be brought back to life. It was carried out by an organization now called The River Restoration Centre.
Images for kids
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The S&DR bridge from 1825. The walls on the side were added later.
