The River Stour begins life up in the north-west of Dorset winding it's way southwards through fertile fields and a rolling landscape of hills and vales.  It enters the Borough of Christchurch at Throop Mill flowing under the new and ancient bridges at Iford, running slowly under the bridge at Tuckton then on past to Wick and the Quay. A little further south-east the Stour converges with the Avon where they both flow in to the harbour and finally surging twice a day through the "Run" at Mudeford and finally out to sea.