In the lower, broader part of the estuary near Avonmouth, the tidal surge advances as a slight roll in the deepwater channels and the water rapidly spreads across the sands and mudbanks. Often, the Severn Bore floods the lower village of Pill if flood defences are not closed. Past Sharpness, the bore begins to form and when it encounters the large left-handed bend at Hock Cliff, it crashes headlong into the rocks. Reforming, it runs up-river close to the Overton shore before crossing the estuary towards Box Cliff. As it rounds the Horseshoe Bend it keeps to the outside but it afterwards moves across to the eastern side of the river. Above Longney Sands, the river abruptly narrows to a hundred yards, the sands diminish and the channel occupies the whole of the river. Now the bore is recognisably the spectacular phenomenon that people expect rather than a swelling flood of water. From Minsterworth to Gloucester, the width of the river varies little and the bore continues unhindered, climbing the banks on the outer side of bends and breaking over shallow places. At Lower Parting, close to Gloucester, it splits in two to pass either side of Alney Island. Both branches encounter and overcome weirs and rejoin at Upper Parting, and the much diminished bore continues upstream. In particularly high tides the water may overtop the weir at Tewkesbury, and even the foot of the weir at Worcester may experience a rise in water level of a foot (30 cm) or so.
in the lower broader part of the estuary near avonmouth the tidal surge advances as a slight roll in the deepwater channels and the water rapidly spreads across the sands and mudbanks often the severn bore floods the lower village of pill if flood defences are not closed past sharpness the bore begins to form and when it encounters the large left-handed bend at hock cliff it crashes headlong into the rocks reforming it runs up-river close to the overton shore before crossing the estuary towards box cliff as it rounds the horseshoe bend it keeps to the outside but it afterwards moves across to the eastern side of the river above longney sands the river abruptly narrows to a hundred yards the sands diminish and the channel occupies the whole of the river now the bore is recognisably the spectacular phenomenon that people expect rather than a swelling flood of water from minsterworth to gloucester the width of the river varies little and the bore continues unhindered climbing the banks on the outer side of bends and breaking over shallow places at lower parting close to gloucester it splits in two to pass either side of alney island both branches encounter and overcome weirs and rejoin at upper parting and the much diminished bore continues upstream in particularly high tides the water may overtop the weir at tewkesbury and even the foot of the weir at worcester may experience a rise in water level of a foot (30 cm) or so