River Wharfe near Bolton Abbey, Yorkshire.

This is our lovely River Wharfe near Bolton Abbey in Yorkshire, illuminated today by the briefest glimpse of sunshine. The name Wharfe derives either from the Old English ‘weorf’ or Old Norse ‘hverfr’ and simply means ‘winding river’. This photograph was taken of the winding river from The Strid Walk which runs alongside the river near Bolton Abbey, and which leads to the Strid, a series of waterfalls and rapids where the river narrows from 9 metres to the width of about a stride. It is extremely dangerous and deceptive as both banks are undercut. Throughout the country there are many rivers with a narrowing to such a width that can, possibly with a little stretch of the imagination, be crossed by a long stride or leap and known by various romantic names such as ‘Soldier’s Leap’, ‘Lover’s Leap’, and many others. On the River Wharfe it is known as ‘The Strid’, hence the name of the river walk. And although it was damp underfoot and the weather dull, the birds were singing lustily as though spring would soon be on the way.