River Avon, Bristol

The River Avon is a river in the traditional counties of Gloucestershire, Wiltshire, Somerset and the City and County of Bristol in the south west of England. It is also known as the Lower Avon or Bristol Avon. It rises near Chipping Sodbury in Gloucestershire, runs east and then south through Wiltshire, then turns north-west through Bradford-on-Avon, Bath and Bristol and joins the Severn estuary at Avonmouth near Bristol. In central Bristol it is diverted from its original course onto the "New Cut"; the original course is held at a consistent level by lock gates and is known as the "Floating Harbour". Downstream of central Bristol it passes through a deep gorge, which is spanned by the Clifton Suspension Bridge. The Kennet and Avon Canal is joined to the Avon in Bath.