River Don, river in England that rises at about 1,500 feet (460 metres) in the Pennine range. It flows in a deeply entrenched course across the South Yorkshire coalfield past the city of Sheffield, where its basin forms the heart of the steelmaking district. From there the river flows northeastward past Doncaster, an ancient Roman crossing point and modern coal-mining centre, and the valley widens. The Don joins the Ouse at Goole after a course of about 70 miles (110 km).