River Wharfe

The name Wharfe appears to be recorded in the form Verbeiae on a Roman inscription at Ilkley, dedicated to Verbeia, thought to be the tutelary goddess of the river. The name is probably of Brythonic origin, from a root meaning "winding". Later forms of the name were probably influenced by the Old Norse hwerfi, meaning "bend". Iron Age fields and hut circles can still be seen in outline on the hills above Grassington and Kettlewell. On 5 July 2014, the Tour de France Stage 1 from Leeds to Harrogate passed through Wharfedale along roads running close to the river. The route in Wharfedale started near the official start at Harewood and ended just after Buckden when the competitors turned to…

The Strid (grid reference: SE 064565; ) is a series of waterfalls and rapids contained within a 15 ft deep channel cut into the local sandstone. The River Wharfe narrows dramatically here from approximately 90 ft wide, just to the north of the start of the Strid, to about 6.5 ft wide. It is especially dangerous as both banks are undercut, and it has been the scene of a number of fatalities, including those of a honeymooning couple in 1998. The Strid walk is very popular and is accessed from the car park at Bolton Abbey. Its name comes from the Old English stryth, meaning 'turmoil'. This was later corrupted to Strid, referring to 'the possibility of striding across'. The Strid's hazardous…