River Greta, Cumbria

River Greta
River Greta in Fitz Park, Keswick
River Greta, Cumbria is located in Cumbria
River Greta, Cumbria
Location of the mouth within Cumbria
Location
CountryUnited Kingdom
PartEngland
Physical characteristics
Source 
 • locationThrelkeld
MouthRiver Derwent, Cumbria
 • location
Keswick
 • coordinates
54°36′7″N 3°9′10″W / 54.60194°N 3.15278°W / 54.60194; -3.15278

The River Greta is a river in Cumbria, England. It is a tributary of the River Derwent and flows through the town of Keswick. "Greta" derives from the Old Norse "Griótá", meaning "stony stream".[1] The name is in records dating from the early 13th century, and also appears in Latinised form, as "Gretagila", at the time of Magna Carta.[1]

River Greta in Fitz Park, looking towards the town

The source of the river is near Threlkeld, at the confluence of the River Glenderamackin and St. John's Beck. From there, the river runs westward, roughly aligned with the former Cockermouth, Keswick and Penrith Railway between Keswick and Penrith. The river subsequently flows through Keswick before joining the Derwent just after the latter flows out of Derwentwater.[2] The medieval bridge over the river in Keswick was unusual in having two arches; on the great coach road from Kendal to Cockermouth all but two of the other bridges (Troutbeck and Portinscale) crossed their rivers in a single span. The current Greta Bridge in Keswick is another two-arch structure, built in 1926.[3]

The major tributaries of the Greta are Naddle Beck and Glenderaterra Beck.[2]

  1. ^ a b Ekwall, p. 205
  2. ^ a b Jenkinson, pp. 131, 183 and 189
  3. ^ Thompson, pp. 347–348