River Tees

Imagine a river starting high up on a big hill called Cross Fell in a place called the North Pennines. That's where the River Tees begins its journey! It's like a tiny stream at first, but it grows bigger and bigger as it flows. It travels for about 85 miles, which is longer than 100 football fields laid end-to-end! Finally, it reaches the big, salty North Sea. It's a long trip for a river!

For a long, long time, the River Tees has been like a busy highway for boats. In the lower part of the river, near the sea, there's a place called Teesside. This river helped people bring things to Teesside and send things away to other countries. It was like a super-duper delivery service! This helped the towns and cities along the river grow and become busy places.

Sometimes, when it doesn't rain much, rivers can get a bit low. To make sure there's always enough water for everyone, especially for the towns downstream, people built big puddles called reservoirs. One of these, Cow Green, is in the very beginning part of the River Tees. It's like a giant bathtub for the river, holding water so it can be used when needed.

The River Tees isn't just for boats and water. It's also a home for lots of plants and animals! The land around the river is beautiful, with hills and valleys. The water itself is important for fish and other creatures that live in it. It’s a special place where nature can thrive, and people can enjoy the outdoors. It’s a wonderful natural wonder!