The first two miles of the river is made up of a series of short flat sections interspersed by spectacular water falls, before it enters Longsleddale valley.

When in Longsleddale, it begins to get wider as it is fed by a large number of streams (known as becks; a term derived from Old Norse).

The river is spectacular at times of high flow, and is popular with canoeists and fishermen.

[1] Like other tributaries of the Kent, the Sprint is a stronghold of the white clawed crayfish, one of the reasons for the designation of these rivers as a Special Area of Conservation underpinned by SSSI status.

[2] The water quality of the Sprint has been adversely affected by degraded peatland in its headwaters.