Here are some facts about the River Humber.
- Although many maps record it as the River Humber, the Humber is actually a tidal estuary formed by the River Trent and the River Ouse joining together. It is on the east coast of northern England and flows into the North Sea.
- The Humber is a short river, only 59 km long from its source to its mouth. However, at its widest point, which separates the counties of Yorkshire and Lincolnshire, it is 13 km wide.
- Along with its tributaries, the Humber drains an area of almost 25,000 square km. The river’s output is the largest volume of fresh water flowing from Britain into the North Sea.
- At 2,220 metres long, the Humber Bridge, a single-span suspension bridge, is one of the longest of its kind in the world. The bridge has a clearance of 30 metres and is designed to withstand winds of 120 kmh.
- The bridge’s two towers are 155 metres high and lean out slightly to take into account the curve of the earth. The huge bridge can be seen from as far away as 60 km.
- Spurn Point is a 6 km long narrow peninsula which separates the estuary from the North Sea. At one time the strip of land was a military base; today it is a wildlife reserve.
- Hull is the largest and most important city on the Humber River. One of the biggest attractions there is Europe’s deepest aquarium containing 2.5 million litres of water.
- In 2005, a local man waded across the Humber, taking advantage of a very low tide. The stunt raised money for a medical research charity.
- The Humber estuary is a good place to see grey seals. The surrounding mud banks are home to a surprisingly wide variety of mollusks, crustaceans and worms.
- The water in the Humber estuary is often muddy and brown looking. However, the water is actually quite clean and there are several nature reserves along its length.
What next? Discover more river facts by visiting our rivers resources page.
