The River Leven is a short river in the (administrative) county of Cumbria, falling within the historic county of Lancashire. It drains Windermere from its southernmost point and flows for approximately eight miles (13 Km) into the northern reaches of Morecambe Bay. The upriver limit of tidal flow is close to the village of Haverthwaite. Also at this point is to be found Low Wood Bridge which, until the coming of the railways, was the first bridging point across the river. The Leven is navigable upstream as far as Low Wood, and downstream from Lake Windermere to Newby Bridge. An administrative county is an administrative area in the British Isles. ... Cumbria is a administrative county located in the northwest area of England. ... The British Isles are divided into the following traditional counties (also vice counties or historic counties). ... Lancashire (archaically, the County of Lancaster) is a county palatine of England, lying on the Irish Sea. ... Lake Windermere Windermere is the largest natural lake in England, and is entirely within in the Lake District National Park. ... Morecambe Bay at low tide from Hest Bank, looking towards Grange-over-Sands Morecambe Bay is a large bay in northern England, with the largest area of intertidal mudflats and sand in the United Kingdom. ... Haverthwaite is a small village in the Lake District region of Cumbria. ... Newby Bridge is a small village in the Lake District, Cumbria. ...

Apart from Newby Bridge and Haverthwaite the only other settlements on the Leven are the villages of Backbarrow and Greenodd. Greenodd is a village in the Furness area of the historic county of Lancashire. ...

The River Leven has one significant tributary, Rusland Pool, which drains a substantial part of Grizedale Forest and the Rusland Valley into the upper tidal section of the river. The Leven is a noted salmon river. At spawning time the fish can be seen jumping up the waterfalls at Backbarrow. The Chinook or King Salmon is the largest salmon in North America and can grow up to 58 long and 126 pounds. ...