The River Mersey is a river in the north west of England.

Three rivers form the Mersey: the River Etherow, the River Goyt and the River Tame.

The Mersey flows through Whaley Bridge, New Mills (both in Derbyshire), then through Stockport, Didsbury, Stretford, Urmston, Flixton, Cadishead, Hollins Green, Warburton, Rixton, Woolston, Warrington, Great Sankey, Moore, Norton, Widnes, Runcorn.

It broadens into an estuary at Ellesmere Port and proceeds via Liverpool and Birkenhead to the Irish Sea.

There are two road tunnels under the Mersey: the older Queensway Tunnel (opened 1934), and the Kingsway Tunnel (opened 1971). There is also a railway tunnel dating back to the 1880s.

There is also the Mersey Ferry, made famous by the Sixties' song Ferry Cross the Mersey by Gerry and the Pacemakers.

The Merseybeat was a type of pop music in the 1960s, centered on Liverpool.

The name comes from Norse, signified by the -sey ending.

See also