the river pier




The most picturesque of North Yorkshire’s rivers has its source on the moors above Langstrothdale Chase. While not the longest of rivers, it encompasses a wide range of landscapes and river states, from a mountain stream to a tidal river near its confluence with the River Ouse near Cawood.

Langstrothdale is the steep high valley of the River Wharfe. At this point the river has a limestone bed and can vary considerably between being swollen at full flow and almost dry in the summer months. The valley sides are filled with limestone caves, small waterfalls and of course the dry stone walls and sheep so characteristic of the Yorkshire Highlands.

The valley is provided with a narrow but very useful path that is unfenced for much of its length and allows full access to the lawn that borders the crystal clear stream. In summer, this is a very popular spot for a day out with the kids, a riverside picnic, or just a quiet stop for a cup of tea by the side of the car.

Further down the valley at Hubberholme the rising River Wharfe joins Cray beck and this marks the beginning of Upper Wharfedale. Hubberholme is a small hamlet with a magnificent parish church, resting place of JB Priestley, which also boasts the hand-carved oak pews of Robert Thompson, the Mouse Man of Kilburn. At this point the character of the river changes, the valley is flatter and the river calmer, deeper and less changeable. The valley has also opened up to form the classic flat-bottomed glacier valley with low-lying fields, steep slopes, dry-stone walls and field barns so typical of the Yorkshire Dales.

Upper Wharefedale also contains a number of wonderful towns, packed with services, accommodation, and eating and drinking establishments. A great example is the Buck Inn in Buckden, which offers great rooms, great food, great Yorkshire ale or just a great cup of Yorkshire tea.
Other equally beautiful and popular towns include Kettlewell, Grassington and Appletreewick.

Towards the southern end of the valley the river enters the woodlands of the Duke of Devonshire’s estate and hidden in these woodlands is one of the river’s most dramatic features. At The Strid, the entire flow of the river is squeezed into a deep, rocky channel less than 2 meters wide. The resulting roaring torrent is filled with strong downdrafts and underwater ledges to ensnare and drown the unwary. There have been many casualties over the years, including Egremond’s medieval boy, who was later immortalized in Wordsworth’s poem.

Just downstream, the river passes the glorious remains of Bolton Abbey. With priory ruins, over 80 miles of walking trails, 30,000 acres of beautiful scenery, and a plethora of tea shops, pubs, and restaurants, this is simply a great place for a family day out. A gem in the heart of the Yorkshire Dales.

Now the river changes again, the valley widens and the river is more abundant and mature. The nature of the riverside settlements also changes, becoming larger and more industrial as the Wharfe draws closer to Leeds and Bradford. But first the river passes through the town of Addingham, famous for its church and nearby suspension bridge, before passing through the first town on its course, the town of Ilkley. High above the river are the moors made famous in the Yorkshire song about a man who dies of a cold for ‘courting’ his hatless girlfriend.

“On Ilkla moor bar t’at” resonates with many coaches returning from a football match or a trip to the beach.

Ilkley itself is a great little town with lots of great restaurants and shops and excellent river trout fishing. I myself have had the pleasure of some great examples provided by Lord Durno, who was always interested in fly-fishing on the Wharfe. The town was also the birthplace of one of Yorkshire’s most popular personalities today, television presenter, author and gardener Alan Titchmarsh.

Along the river comes Burley into Wharfedale and then the market town of Otley with its old mills and riverside parks. The city is bustling without being overwhelming, and planes fly overhead on their way to or from nearby Leeds Bradford Airport. Locally, the town is best known for the wild highlands known as Otley Chevin.

The river now briefly returns to the open spaces of an agricultural valley before exiting the valley and entering the Vale of York, entering the town of Tadcaster. Here in Tadcaster, the river has for years provided transportation and raw material for the brewing industry. The city is still home to several major breweries, from the huge John Smith complex to the smaller but still very popular Samuel Smith Brewery. The history of these two breweries, both originally owned by the Smith family, descendants of the original Samuel Smith, a butcher from Meanwood in Leeds, reads like a historical epic with family feuds and divisions. The two breweries continue to exist side by side, although only the Samuel Smith brewery remains independent.

Below Tadcaster the river runs through several more settlements, some with very Norse names like Ulleskelf or Ozendyke. Around this area the river is also tidal with the twice daily rise and fall of waters flowing to or from the much larger River Ouse which flows from York.

The River Wharfe eventually joins the Ouse just above the urban town of Cawood, famous locally for its swing bridge that seems to break with depressing regularity. Cawood is also famous as the place where Cardinal Wolsey was arrested by the Earl of Northumberland and taken south to stand trial for treason against Henry VIII. However, he would never make it to London; fall ill in Leicester and finally die of his illness.

The waters of the River Wharfe now mix with those of the Ouse and continue south-east to become the Humber Estuary below Selby, eventually emptying into the North Sea east of Kingston upon Hull.

The vast majority of the course of the Wharfe can be followed on foot, the entire walk takes 6-7 days and accommodation can be found along the way at Yorkshire Accommodation. [http://www.best-yorkshire-accommodation.co.uk].

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