River Ure

The River Ure rises on Abbotside Common and flows south-west to the valley floor before turning south. It then runs east along Wensleydale past Wensley and south-east to Jervaulx Abbey. After passing Mickley and Ripon, it turns east again near Boroughbridge. The river joins the River Swale east of Boroughbridge and becomes the River Ouse nine kilometres downstream. The Ure drains Wensleydale, the only dale named after a village rather than its river. Its tributaries include the River Swale and the River Skell. The name comes from an old word meaning ‘the strong or swift river’, linked to Roman and Celtic roots. The valley has been lived in since prehistoric times, with Bronze Age earthworks and Roman remains at Bainbridge. In the 18th century the Richmond to Lancaster Turnpike followed the Roman road through the dale. The upper valley is a wide, open U-shaped dale with drumlins beside the shallow, fast river. Mid Wensleydale shows stepped limestone scars and broad meanders in a stony channel. At Aysgarth the river drops over platformed waterfalls. Lower down it meanders in wider arcs through increasingly wooded sides. The Pennine Way passes through Hawes, where Wensleydale cheese is made.