The longer tributary, the Granta, starts in the parish of Debden to the east the village of Widdington in Essex. After initially running south west to descend from the hills of Uttlesford, it turns north just west of the village of Henham. From there until Great Shelford it largely follows the course of the West Anglia Main Line railway. Its northward journey passes first through Newport, where it is joined by the streams known as Wicken Water and Debden Water. A couple of miles later it forms a picturesque addition to views of the stately home as it flows past the front of Audley End House, and is also joined by the stream known as Fulfen Slade. It then skirts the edges of a number of villages as it moves into Cambridgeshire, successively Littlebury, Little Chesterford, Great Chesterford, Ickleton, Hinxton, Duxford and Whittlesford, powering a number of water mills along the way. Forming the boundary between Great Shelford and Little Shelford, it turns west to flow past Hauxton to merge with the Rhee a mile south of Grantchester at Hauxton Junction.[2] From source to its confluence with the Rhee it is 41.7 kilometres (25.9 mi) in length.
