[2][3] During the Ice Age, a glacier forced water to build up in what are now the valleys that hold the Pott Beck and the River Burn.

[4] The river flows over several types of bedrock (limestone, sandstone, mudstone and shale) which is covered by gravel and silty clay which is a result of riverine alluvia.

[12][13] A desire to site reservoirs on the River Burn itself had been in the minds of the planners of the Leeds Corporation as far back as the turn of the 20th century.

[17] The damming of Pott Beck to create the reservoirs at Leighton and Roundhill, had a detrimental effect on the migration of the fish through Colsterdale.

[22] The river starts on the moorland west of Masham and astride the watershed that feeds water to Coverdale (to the north) and Nidderdale (to the south).

[3] This section of the river is designated as part of the East Nidderdale Moors SSSI because of the ancient woodland at Birks Gill, the birdlife and fauna it supports.

[30] Where the Pott Beck joins, the river valley leaves Colsterdale, flattens out and becomes less steep sided and craggy.

[32] Just before the river flows into the Ure, it passes under Low Burn Bridge which carries the road between Masham and Grewelthorpe.

[34] The river joins the Ure just south of Masham town[35] and the section of bedrock it flows over at this point is magnesian limestone deposits.