River Avon, Bristol facts for kids

Quick facts for kids River Avon
The Avon Gorge and Clifton Suspension Bridge
Course of the Avon
Other name(s)	Bristol Avon
Country	England
Counties of England	Gloucestershire, Wiltshire, Somerset, Bristol
Towns/cities	Chippenham, Melksham, Bradford on Avon, Bath, Bristol
Physical characteristics
Main source	Acton Turville Gloucestershire, England 120 m (390 ft) 51°31′49″N 2°16′26″W / 51.53028°N 2.27389°W / 51.53028; -2.27389
River mouth	Severn Estuary Avonmouth, Bristol, West of England, England 51°30′22″N 2°43′06″W / 51.50611°N 2.71833°W / 51.50611; -2.71833
Length	134 km (83 mi)
Basin features
Basin size	2,308 km2 (891 sq mi)
Tributaries	Left: River Malago, Brislington Brook, River Chew, Corston Brook, Midford Brook, River Frome, Paxcroft Brook, River Biss, Semington Brook, Cocklemore Brook, River Marden, Brinkworth Brook, Woodbridge Brook, Tetbury Avon Right: River Trym, River Frome (Bristol), Siston Brook, River Boyd, Lam Brook, Bybrook, Gauze Brook
River system	River Severn

The River Avon is a river in the south west of England. To distinguish it from a number of other rivers of the same name, it is often called the Bristol Avon. The name 'Avon' is a cognate of the Welsh word afon, meaning 'river'.

The Avon rises just north of the village of Acton Turville in South Gloucestershire, before flowing through Wiltshire. In its lower reaches from Bath to the Severn Estuary at Avonmouth near Bristol, the river is navigable and known as the Avon Navigation.

The Avon is the 19th longest river in the United Kingdom, at 83 miles (134 km), although there are just 19 miles (31 km) as the crow flies between the source and its mouth in the Severn Estuary. The catchment area is 2,220 square kilometres (860 sq mi).

Images for kids

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  The Town Bridge at Bradford on Avon

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  Claverton Pumping Station

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  Palladian Pulteney Bridge and the weir at Bath

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  Weir at Swineford Lock

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  Kelston Brass Mill overlooking Saltford Lock

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  Bristol Bridge from Castle Park

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  The River Avon in Bristol, looking towards Bristol Bridge with Welsh Back on the left. Boats of the Bristol Ferry Company are moored in the foreground, and the spires of St Nicholas, All Saints' and St Mary le Port churches can be seen in the distance.

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  New Bridge, Bath close to the Newton St Loe SSSI, painted in 1806

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  S.S. Dunbrody stranded in the 1890s owing to the high tidal range

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  The Avon Gorge and the Clifton Suspension Bridge

See also

In Spanish: Río Avon (Brístol) para niños