A clough is a narrow, sharply cut hollow between hills, frequently shaped by a beck or rainwater stream. In poetry, its shaded depth can contrast with open moorland or bright ridge tops. Ferns, stones, dripping branches, and hidden water make it an apt setting for solitude, pursuit, or uncanny discovery. Because it feels both sheltered and difficult to enter, a clough can carry suggestions of secrecy, age, and the land's concealed life.

A clough is a narrow, steep-sided valley or ravine, especially in northern England, often cut by a stream and shaded by surrounding slopes. Its regional sound can establish place, weather, and social landscape more precisely than the general term valley. Compare dene, which is often gentler and greener, or gorge, which suggests greater rockiness. Let surrounding diction support the local register rather than treating the word as interchangeable scenery.