Gordano Valley
| Site of Special Scientific Interest | |
 Location within Somerset
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| Area of Search | Avon |
|---|---|
| Grid reference | ST435730 |
| Coordinates | 51°27′11″N 2°48′52″W / 51.45315°N 2.81451°WCoordinates: 51°27′11″N 2°48′52″W / 51.45315°N 2.81451°W |
| Interest | Geological and Biological |
| Area | 161.68 hectares (1.6168 km2; 0.6242 sq mi) |
| Notification | 1971 |
| Natural England website | |
Gordano (or the Gordano Valley; /ɡɔːrˈdeɪnoʊ/) is an area of North Somerset, in England. It has been designated as a National Nature Reserve.
The name Gordano comes from Old English and is descriptive of the triangular shape of the whole valley from Clevedon to Portishead, being the ablative singular of the Latinised form of Gorden meaning muddy valley.
The valley runs roughly north-east to south-west, between Carboniferous limestone ridges extending along the coastline between Clevedon and Portishead, and another ridge extending between Clevedon and Easton in Gordano. The area includes the villages of Clapton in Gordano, Weston in Gordano, Easton in Gordano, Walton in Gordano, Portbury and Sheepway. The M5 motorway runs along the south side of the valley, splitting briefly into two levels - the south-west-bound level running above the north-east-bound carriageway. The Gordano motorway service station is at the eastern end of the valley, near the Royal Portbury Dock and the Avonmouth Bridge. There is no river Gordano - much of the valley is reclaimed land barely above sea level, and it is drained by ditches (known in the area as "rhynes"). The rhynes previously managed by the now amalgamated Gordano Valley Internal Drainage Board are now the responsibility of the North Somerset Internal Drainage Board.
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Wikipedia