Britannica AI Icon
Adding us as a Preferred Source tells Google you trust our content, so our articles show up more often in your Google Search, Discover feed, and AI Overviews.
verifiedCite
While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions.
Select Citation Style
Feedback
Corrections? Updates? Omissions? Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login).
Thank you for your feedback

Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article.

External Websites

River Ribble, river in North Yorkshire and Lancashire, England, formed by the confluence of the Gayle and Cam becks (streams). The river first flows almost due south between Ingleborough Mountain (2,373 feet [723 m]) and Pen-y-Ghent (2,273 feet [693 m]) and then through open country, a long gorge, and a wide valley (devoted mostly to pastoral farming) until it is joined by its two main tributaries, the Hodder from the north and the Calder. The Ribble then meanders between bluffs that rise 150 feet (46 m) high a mile apart on either side of the floodplain. Preston lies on the northern side at the lowest bridge point. The channel to the Irish Sea coast, 12 miles (19 km) away, has been straightened to provide a shipping lane to Preston. The Ribble is 75 miles (120 km) long.

This article was most recently revised and updated by Amy Tikkanen.
Discover the fascinating events that shaped the world, straight from our editors.
By clicking “Sign Up”, you consent to the Britannica Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.