River Great Ouse - Definition and Overview

The Great Ouse at St Neots

The River Great Ouse is a river in the east of England. It is 150 miles (240 km) long which makes it the major navigation in East Anglia. The lower reaches of the Great Ouse are also known as "Old West River" and "the Ely Ouse".

It flows through Buckingham, Milton Keynes, Olney, Bedford, St Neots, Godmanchester, Huntingdon, St Ives, the cathedral city of Ely, Littleport, Downham Market and enters The Wash at King's Lynn.

After the Brownshill Staunch, near Over

The Environment Agency is the navigation authority and it tries to attract more boaters to the river.

Tributaries of the River Great Ouse:

• New Bedford River (also known as Hundred Foot Drain)
• Old Bedford River
• River Wissey
• River Little Ouse
• River Lark
• River Cam
• River Kym
• Hen Brook
• Duloe Brook
• Begwary Brook
• River Ivel
• Gadsey Brook
• Ravensden Brook

The Ouse Washes are an internationally important area for wildlife.

See also

• The Ouse Valley Way (Long distance footpath along the Ouse)
• RSPB Ouse Washes (Royal Society for the Protection of Birds reserve)
• WWT Welney (Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust reserve)
• Rivers of the United Kingdom

External links

• Useful information on the river from Jim Shead (http://easyweb.easynet.co.uk/jim.shead/River-Great-Ouse.html)