River Fal

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River Fal
Flushing, from Fish Strand Quay, Falmouth, with rainbow
Origin	Goss Moor
Mouth	Carrick Roads

The River Fal at Devoran

The River Fal flows through Cornwall, United Kingdom, rising on the Goss Moor (between St. Columb and St Austell) and reaching the English Channel at Falmouth. On or near the banks of the Fal are the castles of Pendennis and St Mawes as well as Trelissick Garden. The River Fal separates the Roseland peninsula from the rest of Cornwall. Like most of its kind on the south coast of Cornwall and Devon, the Fal estuary is a classic ria, or drowned river valley.

Toponymy

The origin and meaning of the name of the river are unknown. The earliest occurrences of the name are in documents of 969 and 1049 AD. Falmouth, a town which was known by another name until the 17th century, is named after the River Fal.^[1]

Geography

Tributaries of the River Fal include the River Truro, River Kennall, River Penryn and River Carnon. Restronguet Creek, Pill Creek and Penpoll Creek are three of the creeks of the River Fal, on the Helford River.

The river is crossed by the historic and scenic King Harry Ferry, a vehicular chain ferry that links the villages of Feock and Philleigh approximately equidistant between Truro and Falmouth.

The River Fal suffered a severe, high profile pollution accident in February 1992, when a nearby tin mine was flooded. The river turned red and an extensive cleaning-up operation was needed to decontaminate the water. [1]

During times of reduced global trade ships are mothballed in the estuary of the The River Fal^[2]

Towns and villages on the Fal

References

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Coordinates: 50°15′N 4°57′W / 50.25°N 4.95°W / 50.25; -4.95