List of rivers of Yorkshire facts for kids
This is a list of named rivers that flow either wholly or partially within the boundaries of the four ceremonial counties that form Yorkshire. There are twenty five rivers of at least 20 kilometres (12 mi) in total. The majority of these waterways lie wholly within the county boundaries, except for; the Ribble, which flows into the Irish Sea at Lytham; the Rother, whose source is located in Derbyshire Peak District; the Greta, which flows into Lancashire to join the River Lune; and the Tees, which flows partly within County Durham and forms some of the boundary with North Yorkshire.
The direction of stream flow in Yorkshire is influenced by the three major drainage divides. The Pennines in the west and south, the North York Moors in the north-east and the Yorkshire Wolds, the coastal range of hills on the east. This represents a large drainage area that mostly flows into the Vale of York and into the North Sea via the Humber estuary. Though an estuary, the Humber is often referred to as a river.
The Humber river system is tidal as far inland as Naburn Lock on the River Ouse, Knottingley on the River Aire and Askern on the River Don. The Humber has the second largest tidal range in the UK at 7.2 metres (24 ft). The largest is the Bristol Channel at nearly double that range.
Source data for the table below came from the National Environment Research Council Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Ordnance Survey, Environment Agency and Google Earth. In the table, total lengths are given in miles (mi) and kilometres (km), and elevations are in feet (ft) and metres (m). River lengths are taken from actual source when wholly within the Yorkshire County boundary, else measured from where the river enters or leaves the county.
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List
The use of the term source in this list is taken to mean the point at which the name of the river is first used on Ordnance Survey maps.
Key |
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River length within county only |
Name | Total length | Mouth | Mouth coordinates |
Mouth elevation | Source | Source coordinates |
Source elevation | Catchment Area |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Aire | 71 miles |
114 kmRiver Ouse, Yorkshire near Airmyn | 53°43′35″N 0°54′22″W / 53.72639°N 0.90611°W | 9.8 ft |
3 mMalham Tarn | 54°5′45″N 2°10′0″W / 54.09583°N 2.16667°W | 1,237 ft |
377 m331 sq miles |
856 km²
Arkle Beck | 17 km approx | River Swale at Reeth | NY 987 030 | 177 m | Arkengarthdale Moor | NY 989 088 | 477 m | |
Ashfold Side Beck | 9 km Approx | River Nidd near Pateley Bridge | SE 152 664 | 117 m | Ashfold Gill Head | SE 073 685 | 504 m | |
Bain | 2.45 miles |
3.95 kmRiver Ure near Bainbridge | 54°18′45″N 2°6′3″W / 54.31250°N 2.10083°W | 690 ft |
210 mSemer Water | 54°17′3″N 2°7′22″W / 54.28417°N 2.12278°W | 827 ft |
252 mNot available |
Barney Beck | 6 km approx | River Swale at Healaugh | SE 015 984 | 186 m | Reeth High Moor | NY 963 012 | 451m | Not available |
Birkdale Beck | 6 km approx | River Swale near Keld | NY 872 013 | 341 m | Beck Meetings | NY 820 035 | 455 m | Not available |
Bishopdale Beck | 11 km approx | River Ure near Aysgarth | SE 019 879 | 144 m | Dale Head | SD 961 826 | 218 m | Not available |
River Burn | 13 km approx | River Ure at Masham | SE 230 797 | 70 m | Masham Moor | SE 113 799 | 292 m | |
Calder | 44 miles |
71 kmRiver Aire | 53°43′54″N 1°21′33″W / 53.73167°N 1.35917°W | 46 ft |
14 mHeald Moor, near Todmorden | 53°44′23″N 2°9′53″W / 53.73972°N 2.16472°W | 720 ft |
220 m360 sq miles |
930 km²
Colne | 12.8 miles |
20.6 kmRiver Calder near Bradley | 53°40′49″N 1°43′52″W / 53.68028°N 1.73111°W | 171 ft |
52 mConfluence of Redbrook Clough and Haigh Clough | 53°36′19″N 1°57′28″W / 53.60528°N 1.95778°W | 768 ft |
234 m95 sq miles |
245 km²
Cover | 14 miles |
22 kmRiver Ure near Middleham | 54°16′43″N 1°46′25″W / 54.27861°N 1.77361°W | 322 ft |
98 mGreat Hunters Sleets near Woodale | 54°11′2″N 2°1′29″W / 54.18389°N 2.02472°W | 1,598 ft |
487 mNot available |
Crimple | 25 km | River Nidd near Wetherby | SE 405 531 | 21 m | Crimple Head Farm | SE 247 519 | 221 m | |
Dearne | 32.2 miles |
51.9 kmRiver Don near Conisbrough | 53°29′39″N 1°14′34″W / 53.49417°N 1.24278°W | 56 ft |
17 mBirdsedge near Denby Dale | 53°33′52″N 1°42′37″W / 53.56444°N 1.71028°W | 1,047 ft |
319 m120 sq miles |
310.8 km²
Derwent | 71.5 miles |
115.1 kmRiver Ouse at Barmby on the Marsh | 53°44′58″N 0°58′8″W / 53.74944°N 0.96889°W | 33 ft |
10 mDerwent Head near RAF Fylingdales | 54°22′50″N 0°37′24″W / 54.38056°N 0.62333°W | 850 ft |
260 m631 sq miles |
1,634 km²
Dibb | 3.2 miles |
5.2 kmRiver Wharfe near Appletreewick | 54°2′27″N 1°56′35″W / 54.04083°N 1.94306°W | 469 ft |
143 mGrimwith Reservoir | 54°4′48″N 1°54′41″W / 54.08000°N 1.91139°W | 830 ft |
253 m9.8 sq miles |
25.5 km²
Doe | 3.68 miles |
5.92 kmConfluence with River Twiss at Ingleton | 54°9′12″N 2°28′15″W / 54.15333°N 2.47083°W | 387 ft |
118 mGod's Bridge near Chapel-Le-Dale | 54°10′58″N 2°24′40″W / 54.18278°N 2.41111°W | 768 ft |
234 mNot available |
Don | 70.9 miles |
114.1 kmRiver Ouse at Goole | 53°41′47″N 0°51′59″W / 53.69639°N 0.86639°W | 9.8 ft |
3 mConfluence of Great Grains Clough and Black Grough near Winscar Reservoir, Dunford Bridge | 53°31′14″N 1°48′16″W / 53.52056°N 1.80444°W | 1,365 ft |
416 m485 sq miles |
1,256.2 km²
Dove, Nth Yorks | 18.78 miiles |
30.22 kmRiver Rye near Salton | 54°12′6″N 0°54′35″W / 54.20167°N 0.90972°W | 79 ft |
24 mFarndale Moor, Nth Yorkshire | 54°24′24″N 1°2′23″W / 54.40667°N 1.03972°W | 1,220 ft |
372 m22.9 sq miles |
59.2 km²
Dove, Sth Yorks | 4.92 miles |
7.91 kmRiver Dearne near Darfield, South Yorkshire | 53°31′43″N 1°22′9″W / 53.52861°N 1.36917°W | 72 ft |
22 mWorsbrough Reservoir | 53°31′34″N 1°28′27″W / 53.52611°N 1.47417°W | 184 ft |
56 mNot available |
Earby Beck | River Aire near Skipton | SD 961 514 | m | Foulridge | SD 889 427 | m | Not available | |
Eastburn Beck | Kellythorpe | TA 023 564 | 14 m | Kirkburn | SE 984 552 | 22 m | Not available | |
Eller Beck | Beck Hole | NZ 820 021 | 59 m | Allerston High Moor | SE 871 958 | 253 m | Not available | |
Eshton Beck | Gargrave | SD943539 | 102 m | Winterburn | SD 933 585 | 149 m | Not available | |
Esk | 28 miles |
45 kmNorth Sea at Whitby | 54°29′33″N 0°36′44″W / 54.49250°N 0.61222°W | 0 ft |
0 mThe Esklets near Westerdale | 54°24′3″N 0°59′8″W / 54.40083°N 0.98556°W | 823 ft |
251 m119 sq miles |
308 km²
Ewden Beck | River Don at Wharncliffe Side | SK 298 954 | 106 m | Margery Hill | SK 188 958 | 541 m | Not available | |
Foss | 19 miles |
31 kmRiver Ouse, York | 53°57′5″N 1°4′42″W / 53.95139°N 1.07833°W | 39 ft |
12 mNear Oulston Reservoir, Yearsley | 54°9′38″N 1°7′54″W / 54.16056°N 1.13167°W | 520 ft |
160 m46 sq miles |
118 km²
Foulness | 15.85 mi |
25.51 kmMarket Weighton Canal | 53°46′56″N 0°42′57″W / 53.78222°N 0.71583°W |
3 ft |
1 mShiptonthorpe | 53°53′8″N 0°42′39″W / 53.88556°N 0.71083°W |
66 ft |
20 mN/A |
Greta | 4.69 miles |
7.55 kmLeaves Yorkshire near Burton-in-Lonsdale | 54°8′35″N 2°33′30″W / 54.14306°N 2.55833°W | 210 ft |
64 mConfluence of River Doe and River Twiss at Ingleton | 54°9′12″N 2°28′15″W / 54.15333°N 2.47083°W | 387 ft |
118 m33.2 sq miles |
86.1 km²
Hedon Haven/Burstwick Drain | 12 kilometres (7.5 mi) | Paull | 53°43′39″N 0°14′11″W / 53.7275°N 0.2363°W | 0 metres (0 ft) | Elstronwick | 53°45′35″N 0°07′52″W / 53.7596°N 0.1310°W | 5 metres (16 ft) | 26 square kilometres (10 sq mi) |
Hertford | 16 km approx | River Derwent at Binnington Carr | SE 970 789 | 23 m | Hunmanby | TA 110 771 | 49 m | |
Holme | 8.61 miles |
13.86 kmRiver Colne at Huddersfield | 53°38′20″N 1°47′4″W / 53.63889°N 1.78444°W | 236 ft |
72 mHolmbridge | 53°13′15″N 1°49′27″W / 53.22083°N 1.82417°W | 617 ft |
188 m37.6 sq miles |
97.4 km²
How Stean Beck | 6 km Approx | River Nidd at Lofthouse | SE 102730 | 157 m | SE 055 728 | 338 m | ||
Hull | 29.11 miles |
46.84 kmHumber estuary at Kingston upon Hull | 53°44′17″N 0°19′55″W / 53.73806°N 0.33194°W | 0 ft |
0 mConfluence of Driffield Trout Stream and Little Driffield Beck | 53°59′39″N 0°26′25″W / 53.99417°N 0.44028°W | 56 ft |
17 m146 sq miles |
378.1 km²
Humber | 38.5 miles |
61.9 kmNorth Sea at Spurn Head | 53°32′33″N 0°6′23″E / 53.54250°N 0.10639°E | 0 ft |
0 mTrent Falls | 53°42′8″N 0°41′46″W / 53.70222°N 0.69611°W | 0 ft |
0 mNot available without Trent Basin |
Kyle | 5.78 miles |
9.31 kmRiver Ouse near Newton-on-Ouse | 54°2′5″N 1°13′28″W / 54.03472°N 1.22444°W | 36 ft |
11 mConfluence of Derrings Beck and Carle Beck near Tholthorpe | 54°5′24″N 1°15′38″W / 54.09000°N 1.26056°W | 39 ft |
12 mNot available |
Laver | 9.3 miles |
15 kmRiver Skell near Ripon | 54°7′55″N 1°32′8″W / 54.13194°N 1.53556°W | 108 ft |
33 mConfluence of North Gill Beck and South Gill Beck at Dallowgill | 54°8′22″N 1°42′30″W / 54.13944°N 1.70833°W | 560 ft |
170 mNot available |
Leven | 28.7 miles |
46.2 kmRiver Tees near Yarm | 54°30′31″N 1°20′12″W / 54.50861°N 1.33667°W | 52 ft |
16 mKildale Moor, Nth Yorks | 54°27′50″N 1°2′47″W / 54.46389°N 1.04639°W | 915 ft |
279 m75.8 sq miles |
196.3 km²
Little Don River | 14 km approx | River Don near Stocksbridge | SK 290 979 | 132 m | Harden Moor | SK 169 993 | 348 m | |
Loxley | 9.9 miles |
16 kmRiver Don, South Yorkshire at Owlerton | 53°24′02″N 1°29′13″W / 53.400526°N 1.486888°W | 190 ft |
58 mDamflask Reservoir near Stacey Bank | 53°24′38″N 1°34′16″W / 53.41056°N 1.57111°W | 436 ft |
133 m27 sq miles |
43.5 km²
Nidd | 59.31 miles |
95.45 kmRiver Ouse, Yorkshire at Nun Monkton | 54°0′51″N 1°13′8″W / 54.01417°N 1.21889°W | 43 ft |
13 mNidd Heads on Great Whernside | 54°10′20″N 2°0′11″W / 54.17222°N 2.00306°W | 2,170 ft |
660 m199 sq miles |
516 km²
Ouse | 52 miles |
84 kmTrent Falls | 53°42′8″N 0°41′46″W / 53.70222°N 0.69611°W | 0 ft |
0 mRiver Ure at Cuddy Shaw Reach | 54°2′4″N 1°16′30″W / 54.03444°N 1.27500°W | 39 ft |
12 m1,280 sq miles |
3,315 km²
Ribble | 23.91 miles |
38.48 kmCounty Border near Swinden | 53°58′16″N 2°13′55″W / 53.97111°N 2.23194°W | 384 ft |
117 mRibble Head | 54°12′42″N 2°21′43″W / 54.21167°N 2.36194°W | 950 ft |
290 m79 sq miles |
204 km²
Riccall | 11.41 miles |
18.36 kmRiver Rye | 54°12′14″N 0°54′58″W / 54.20389°N 0.91611°W | 79 ft |
24 mConfluence of Bonfield Gill and Bogmire Gill near Helmsley | 54°17′52″N 1°3′40″W / 54.29778°N 1.06111°W | 430 ft |
130 m22.2 sq miles |
57.6 km²
Rivelin | 4.23 miles |
6.81 kmRiver Loxley | 53°23′59″N 1°30′41″W / 53.39972°N 1.51139°W | 253 ft |
77 mRivelin Dams near Sheffield | 53°22′43″N 1°35′11″W / 53.37861°N 1.58639°W | 676 ft |
206 mNot available |
Rother | 10.42 miles |
16.77 kmRiver Don at Rotherham | 53°21′31″N 1°21′43″W / 53.35861°N 1.36194°W | 85 ft |
26 mCounty Boundary at Eckington | 53°18′56″N 1°20′25″W / 53.31556°N 1.34028°W | 154 ft |
47 m136 sq miles |
352.2 km²
Ryburn | 7.1 miles |
11.4 kmRiver Calder at Sowerby Bridge | 53°42′28″N 1°54′42″W / 53.70778°N 1.91167°W | 260 ft |
80 mConfluence of unnamed stream and Black Castle Clough near Rishworth | 53°39′35″N 2°1′29″W / 53.65972°N 2.02472°W | 1,184 ft |
361 m13 sq miles |
Rye | 38.2 miles |
61.5 kmRiver Derwent near Malton | 54°10′15″N 0°44′25″W / 54.17083°N 0.74028°W | 62 ft |
19 mRye Head near Osmotherley | 54°22′23″N 1°14′12″W / 54.37306°N 1.23667°W | 991 ft |
302 m262 sq miles |
679 km²
Ryton | 2.1 miles |
3.4 kmCounty Border with Nottinghamshire | 53°19′22″N 1°10′19″W / 53.32278°N 1.17194°W | 157 ft |
48 mConfluence of Anston Brook and Pudding Dike | 53°20′5″N 1°11′26″W / 53.33472°N 1.19056°W | 233 ft |
71 m30 sq miles |
77 km²
Seven | 21.7 miles |
34.9 kmRiver Rye | 54°11′13″N 0°51′51″W / 54.18694°N 0.86417°W | 72 ft |
22 mDanby High Moor near Rosedale Abbey | 54°24′2″N 0°57′7″W / 54.40056°N 0.95194°W | 1,080 ft |
330 m47 sq miles |
121.6 km²
Sheaf | 6 miles |
9.6 kmRiver Don | 53°23′7″N 1°27′44″W / 53.38528°N 1.46222°W | 174 ft |
53 mConfluence of Oldhay Brook and Totley Brook | 53°19′12″N 1°31′24″W / 53.32000°N 1.52333°W | 469 ft |
143 m19 sq miles |
49.1 km²
Skell | 12 miles |
19 kmRiver Ure near Ripon | 54°8′0″N 1°30′3″W / 54.13333°N 1.50083°W | 75 ft |
23 mHowson Ridge near Wath-in-Nidderdale | 54°7′2″N 1°44′59″W / 54.11722°N 1.74972°W | 1150 ft |
350 mNot available |
Skirfare | 9.47 miles |
15.24 kmRiver Wharfe | 54°7′8″N 2°2′8″W / 54.11889°N 2.03556°W | 646 ft |
197 mConfluence of Foxup Beck and Cosh Beck | 54°11′12″N 2°11′49″W / 54.18667°N 2.19694°W | 1,027 ft |
313 mNot available |
Spen | 5 miles |
8 kmRiver Calder at Dewsbury | 53°40′49″N 1°39′4″W / 53.68028°N 1.65111°W | 138 ft |
42 mConfluence of Hunsworth Beck and Nann Hall Beck in Cleckheaton | 53°43′48.2″N 1°42′45.6″W / 53.730056°N 1.712667°W | 266 ft |
81 m17.9 sq miles |
46.3 km²
Swale | 73.2 miles |
117.8 kmRiver Ure | 54°5′16.27″N 1°20′36.27″W / 54.0878528°N 1.3434083°W | 36.09 ft |
11 mConfluence of Birkdale Beck and Great Sleddale Beck | 54°24′10.87″N 2°13′21.65″W / 54.4030194°N 2.2226806°W | 1,200 ft |
366 m526 sq miles |
1,363 km²
Tees | 54.9 miles |
88.4 kmNorth Sea at Redcar | 54°38′51″N 1°8′57″W / 54.64750°N 1.14917°W | 0 ft |
0 mEnters Yorkshire at Gainford | 54°32′33″N 1°43′19″W / 54.54250°N 1.72194°W | 220 ft |
67 m488 sq miles |
1,264 km²
Tutt | 12 km approx | River Ure at Boroughbridge | SE 396 669 | 11 m | Nidd | SE 324 592 | 61 m | |
Twiss | 2.59 miles |
4.17 kmConfluence with River Doe at Ingleton | 54°9′11″N 2°28′15″W / 54.15306°N 2.47083°W | 387 ft |
118 mKeld Head | 54°11′3″N 2°28′4″W / 54.18417°N 2.46778°W | 866 ft |
264 kmNot available |
Ure | 73 miles |
118 kmCuddy Shaw Reach where renamed to River Ouse | 54°2′4″N 1°16′30″W / 54.03444°N 1.27500°W | 39 ft |
12 mUre Head near Abbotside | 54°21′56″N 2°18′4″W / 54.36556°N 2.30111°W | 2,083 ft |
635 m353.1 sq miles |
914.6 km²
Washburn | 16 miles |
26 kmRiver Wharfe near Pool | 53°54′39″N 1°39′8″W / 53.91083°N 1.65222°W | 161 ft |
49 mWashburn Head | 54°3′46″N 1°50′50″W / 54.06278°N 1.84722°W | 1,283 ft |
391 m54.2 sq miles |
87.3 km²
Wenning | 13 km approx | Yorkshire/Lancashire boundary at Bentham | SD 623 698 | 54 m | Clapham | SD 744 673 | 124 m | |
Wharfe | 60 miles |
97 kmRiver Ouse at Wharfe's Mouth, near Cawood | 53°50′38.76″N 1°7′46.36″W / 53.8441000°N 1.1295444°W | 16 ft |
4.9 mBeckermonds, Langstrothdale Chase | 54°13′2.93″N 2°11′39.23″W / 54.2174806°N 2.1942306°W | 1,020 ft |
310 m316 sq miles |
818 km²
Went | 16.6 miles |
26.7 kmRiver Don near Snaith | 53°38′40″N 0°59′27″W / 53.64444°N 0.99083°W | 16 ft |
5 mConfluence of Went Beck and Hessle Beck at Low Ackworth | 53°38′54″N 1°20′23″W / 53.64833°N 1.33972°W | 105 ft |
32 m33.7 sq miles |
87.3 km²
Wiske | 29.1 miles |
46.9 kmRiver Swale near Kirby Wiske | 54°14′38″N 1°26′19″W / 54.24389°N 1.43861°W | 69 ft |
21 mConfluence of Stony Lane Beck and Carr Beck near Ingleby Arncliffe | 54°23′10″N 1°19′25″W / 54.38611°N 1.32361°W | 226 ft |
69 m83.2 sq miles |
215.5 km²
Worth | 9.4 miles |
15.2 kmRiver Aire near Keighley | 53°52′31″N 1°53′7″W / 53.87528°N 1.88528°W | 289 ft |
88 mWatersheddles Reservoir | 53°50′17″N 2°2′49″W / 53.83806°N 2.04694°W | 1,079 ft |
329 m27.7 sq miles |
71.7 km²