User:Andy V Byers/History of Workington on Derwent and Solway

The history of Workington which lies on the River Derwent and the Solway Firth, begins during the last glacial period (Ice Age). During this time the coastline of the Irish Sea, the Cumbrian fells, valleys, lakes and rivers began to take their present form.

Coal formation Iron Lead slate

At the height of the glaciation the central part of the modern Irish Sea was probably a long freshwater lake. Then 10,000 years ago, as the ice retreated, the lake reconnected to the sea, becoming brackish and then fully saline once again.

As the glaciers retreated from Cumbria, the waters of what would later be called the River Derwent, began to flow, fed from a newly created Lake District and the West Cumbrian coastal strip.

Today, the River Derwent still channels water from across Cumbria. It rises at Styhead Tarn underneath Scafell Pike, flows through Borrowdale's Derwent Water and Bassenthwaite Lake. At Keswick and Cockermouth it is fed by the River Greta and River Cocker respectively. These collect water from Thirlmere, Threlkeld, Blencathra, Skiddaw, Buttermere, Crummock Water and the Lorton Valley. The River Derwent drainage basin finally funnels its water into the Solway Firth and Irish Sea at Workington.