Editing River Wharfe (section)

==Course==
[[File:Meander on the River Wharfe between Kettlewell and Starbotton (12th February 2013).JPG|thumb|right|The River Wharfe meandering between [[Starbotton]] and [[Kettlewell]].]]
[[File:The Strid.jpg|thumb|right|The rapids of The Strid]]
[[File:SteppingStoneBoltonAbbey.jpg|thumb|right|[[Stepping stones]] and [[footbridge]] in [[Bolton Abbey]]]]
[[File:River Wharfe, Wetherby.jpg|thumb|right|The River Wharfe at [[Wetherby]], the largest settlement on the course of the Wharfe]]
The river is deemed to start at the confluence of Oughtershaw Beck and Green Field Beck in Langstrothdale near Beckermonds. It flows east and south-east taking the flows from several small streams originating on [[Yockenthwaite]] Moor on the north bank and Horse Head Moor on the south bank. After [[Hubberholme]], the river flows south past Buckden and Starbotton and then south-east past [[Kettlewell]] before flowing south again. Near [[Conistone]] are the gentle waterfalls of Scar Lash. Near Grassington, the river turns south-east over Linton Falls. South of [[Appletreewick]], the river flows south-west for a short distance until it reaches Gill Beck and returns southward. To the north of Bolton Bridge, the river narrows and goes over waterfalls in an area known as The Strid. The river winds south and south-east towards [[Ilkley]] where it heads east through [[Otley]] and [[Collingham, West Yorkshire|Collingham]]. It briefly flows north to [[Wetherby]] before turning south and then south-east through [[Tadcaster]] to the confluence with the [[River Ouse, Yorkshire|River Ouse]].

=== The Strid ===
The Strid ([[Ordnance Survey National Grid|grid reference]]: SE 064565; {{coord|54|00|14|N|1|54|12|W|display=inline}}) is a series of waterfalls and rapids contained within a {{convert|15|ft|m|adj=on}} deep channel cut into the local sandstone. The River Wharfe narrows dramatically here from approximately {{convert|90|ft|m|0|abbr=on}} wide, just to the north of the start of the Strid, to about {{convert|6.5|ft|m|0|abbr=on}} wide.<ref>{{cite web|title=Google Map |url=https://maps.google.co.uk/?ll=54.004011,-1.903274&spn=0.001734,0.004823&t=h&z=18 |publisher=Google Maps |access-date=25 March 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Jessop |first1=Keith |last2=Hanson |first2=Neil |title=Goldfinder |year= 1998 |publisher=Simon & Schuser UK Ltd. |pages=35–36 |isbn=9780471045465 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Dyqqyv46YJEC&pg=PA35 |access-date=22 July 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=The Strid |website=www.yorkshire-dales.com |url=https://www.yorkshire-dales.com/strid.html |access-date=22 July 2021}}</ref> It is especially dangerous as both banks are undercut,<ref>{{cite book |last=Marsh |first=Terry |title=The Dales Way: A Complete Guide to the Trail |year=2005 |publisher=Cicerone |isbn=1-85284-464-7 |page=27 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=pP7ti4EoGLQC&pg=PA26}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |editor-first=Tim |editor-last=Locke |title=Slow North Yorkshire |year=2010 |publisher=Bradt Travel Guides Ltd. |location=Chalfont St. Peter |isbn=978-1-84162-323-8 |page=42 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=JyhBpBKRBZEC&pg=PA42}}</ref> and it has been the scene of a number of fatalities, including those of a honeymooning couple in 1998.<ref>{{cite news |title=Honeymooners' death a mystery |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/217851.stm |work=BBC News |access-date=24 March 2013 |date=19 November 1998}}</ref> The Strid walk is very popular and is accessed from the car park at Bolton Abbey.<ref>{{cite web |website=walkingenglishman.com |url=http://www.walkingenglishman.com/dalesguide/waterfalls/master.htm |title=Waterfalls |access-date=25 March 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130709070504/http://www.walkingenglishman.com/dalesguide/waterfalls/master.htm |archive-date=9 July 2013}}</ref>

Its name comes from the [[Old English]] ''stryth'', meaning 'turmoil'. This was later corrupted to ''Strid'', referring to 'the possibility of striding across'.<ref>{{cite web |title=Bolton Abbey {{!}} Strid Wood |website=boltonabbey.com |url=https://boltonabbey.com/what-to-see/strid-wood-and-the-strid/ |access-date=17 July 2020}}</ref>

The Strid's hazardous nature is referenced in several literary works, including ''[[s:The Force of Prayer|The Force of Prayer]]'' by [[William Wordsworth]], and ''[[s:The Striding Place|The Striding Place]]'' by [[Gertrude Atherton]].

===Linton Falls===
[[Linton Falls (North Yorkshire)|Linton Falls]] (grid reference: SE 001633) are located close to the village of [[Linton, North Yorkshire|Linton]], just south of [[Grassington]]. There is a footbridge straddling the falls for viewing.

===Water levels===

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Monitoring station<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/homeandleisure/floods/riverlevels/120697.aspx|title=River levels|publisher=Environment Agency|year=2010|access-date=23 December 2010}}</ref>
! Station elevation
! Low water level
! High water level
! Record high level
|-
| Kettlewell
| {{convert|212|m|ft|abbr=on}}
| {{convert|0.17|m|ft|abbr=on}} 
| {{convert|2|m|ft|abbr=on}} 
| {{convert|2.54|m|ft|abbr=on}} 
|-
| Grassington
| {{convert|171|m|ft|abbr=on}}
| {{convert|0|m|ft|abbr=on}} 
| {{convert|1.5|m|ft|abbr=on}} 
| {{convert|2.79|m|ft|abbr=on}} 
|-
| Ilkley
| {{convert|78|m|ft|abbr=on}}
| {{convert|0.09|m|ft|abbr=on}} 
| {{convert|2.9|m|ft|abbr=on}} 
| {{convert|3.88|m|ft|abbr=on}} 
|-
| Otley
| {{convert|56|m|ft|abbr=on}}
| {{convert|0.36|m|ft|abbr=on}} 
| {{convert|1.5|m|ft|abbr=on}} 
| {{convert|2.46|m|ft|abbr=on}}
|-
| Pool Bridge
| {{convert|46|m|ft|abbr=on}}
| {{convert|0.09|m|ft|abbr=on}} 
| {{convert|2.9|m|ft|abbr=on}} 
| {{convert|3.77|m|ft|abbr=on}} 
|-
| Arthington
| {{convert|46|m|ft|abbr=on}}
| {{convert|0.32|m|ft|abbr=on}} 
| {{convert|3.3|m|ft|abbr=on}} 
| {{convert|4.14|m|ft|abbr=on}} 
|-
| Collingham
| {{convert|25|m|ft|abbr=on}}
| {{convert|0.35|m|ft|abbr=on}} 
| {{convert|1.59|m|ft|abbr=on}} 
| {{convert|4.7|m|ft|abbr=on}} 
|-
| Wetherby
| {{convert|25|m|ft|abbr=on}}
| {{convert|0.4|m|ft|abbr=on}} 
| {{convert|1.8|m|ft|abbr=on}} 
| {{convert|3.10|m|ft|abbr=on}} 
|-
| Tadcaster
| {{convert|11|m|ft|abbr=on}}
| {{convert|0.18|m|ft|abbr=on}} 
| {{convert|2.9|m|ft|abbr=on}} 
| {{convert|3.79|m|ft|abbr=on}} 
|-
| Cock Beck Sluices
| {{convert|6|m|ft|abbr=on}}
| {{convert|3.44|m|ft|abbr=on}} 
| {{convert|7.3|m|ft|abbr=on}} 
| {{convert|9.26|m|ft|abbr=on}} 
|-
| Fleet Pumping Station
| {{convert|6|m|ft|abbr=on}}
| {{convert|2|m|ft|abbr=on}} 
| {{convert|6.5|m|ft|abbr=on}} 
| {{convert|7.35|m|ft|abbr=on}} 
|}

* Low and high water levels are an average figure.

A serious flood in 1686 carried away a number of bridges and buildings.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Mitchell |first1=W. R. |title=A song of the River Wharfe |journal=The Dalesman |date=March 1980 |volume=41 |issue=12 |page=976}}</ref>