The River Kent is a short river in the county of Cumbria in England. The river originates in hills surrounding Kentmere, and flows for around 20 miles (32 km) into the north of Morecambe Bay, having passed through Kentmere , Staveley, Burneside , Kendal and Sedgwick on the way. The village of Arnside lies alongside the Kent estuary.
The rivers Mint , Sprint and Gowan join the Kent to the north of Kendal. Near the source of the river is Kentmere reservoir , which was constructed in the mid 1800s to control the flow of the river, which at the time was used to power a number of water mills. Near Sedgewick, the river passes through a rock gorge which produces a number of low waterfalls. This section is popular with kayakers as it offers high quality whitewater for several days after rain.
On high spring tides, a tidal bore known as the Arnside Bore forms in the estuary opposite Arnside. The wave is often about 0.5m high.
The river is a designated Special Area of Conservation, particularly due to its population of White-clawed Crayfish. It is also a salmon fishery.
