title: River Winster
text: # River Winster
  
  The River Winster is a river in the English county of Cumbria. The Winster was the boundary between the ancient counties of Lancashire and Westmorland. It has a relatively small catchment area; other streams flow parallel to it on either side.
  
  The Winster is about 20 km or 12 miles long, and rises about 2 km south of Bowness-on-Windermere, between the hamlets of Winster and Storrs (the latter is on Windermere) and follows a southerly course, flowing past the settlements of Ludderburn, Hartbarrow and Bowland Bridge, before it is joined by Arndale Beck at Bridge House.
  
  From there, the river continues through a valley between Whitbarrow and Cartmel Fell, flowing through Helton Tarn. It continues between the villages of Lindale and Meathop, and finally flows into the Kent estuary just downstream from Arnside.
  
  A former course of the river joined the Kent at Blawith Point, and as a result the peninsula of Holme Island often changed hands between Lancashire and Westmorland.
  
  ## Packhorse Bridges
  
  A packhorse bridge is a bridge intended to carry packhorses (horses loaded with sidebags or panniers) across a river or stream.
  
  There are two packhorse bridges on this river near Winster. The Winster Bridge (1729 with 20th-century parapet) on the river at 54°19′37″N 2°54′08″W﻿ / ﻿54.3269°N 2.9021°W﻿ / 54.3269; -2.9021 Another packhorse bridge (Probably 17th-century. Grade II listed) is on a tributary of the River Winster at 54°20′27″N 2°54′18″W﻿ / ﻿54.3408°N 2.9051°W﻿ / 54.3408; -2.9051, adjacent to A5074 road.
  
  