River Wharfe

River Wharfe
Linton Falls, on the upper Wharfe near Grassington
Map
Location
CountryEngland
Physical characteristics
Source 
 • locationBeckermonds, Langstrothdale Chase
 • coordinates54°13′03″N 2°11′39″W / 54.217481°N 2.194231°W / 54.217481; -2.194231
 • elevation310 m (1,020 ft)
Mouth 
 • location
River Ouse at Wharfe's Mouth, near Cawood
 • coordinates
53°50′39″N 1°07′46″W / 53.8441°N 1.129544°W / 53.8441; -1.129544
 • elevation
4.9 m (16 ft)
Length65 mi (104.6 km)

The River Wharfe (/hwɔːrf/ WHORF) is a river in Yorkshire, England originating within the Yorkshire Dales National Park. For much of its middle course it is the county boundary between West Yorkshire and North Yorkshire. Its valley is known as Wharfedale.

The watercourse first becomes known as the River Wharfe at the confluence of Greenfield Beck and Oughtershaw Beck at Beckermonds. Flowing initially through Langstrothdale, it then passes by, or in some cases through, Kettlewell, Grassington, Bolton Abbey, Addingham, Ilkley, Burley-in-Wharfedale, Otley, Wetherby and Tadcaster. It then flows into the River Ouse near Cawood. The section of the river from its source to around Addingham is in Upper Wharfedale and has a very different character to the river downstream.

The Wharfe is 65 miles (104.6 km) long (before it joins the Ouse), making it the 21st longest river in Britain.[1] It is a public navigation from the weir at Tadcaster to its junction with the Ouse near Cawood and is tidal from Ulleskelf to the Ouse.

  1. ^ Owen, Sue; Pooley, Colin; Park, Chris; et al. (2005). "Appendix 2". Rivers and the British landscape. Lancaster: Carnegie House. p. 232. ISBN 978-1-85936-120-7.