On the border

The city of Salford is to the left (west), the city of Manchester to the right (east). The 39 miles/65km long River Irwell starts in Lancashire, then goes on to divide these two cities, before flowing into the River Mersey.

"Irwell" comes from the Anglo Saxon meaning "white spring", and not an indecisive sub-committee of 19th century city councillors who, when asked if they had come up with a new name for the river yet, responded "Er...well..."