Here’s Looking at Ure

Although it’s largely used for pleasure these days, Boroughbridge owes its very existence to the River Ure. Here’s why…

Way back in the 13th century a settlement grew up around a bridge across River Ure, which joined one of the most important drovers’ routes between London and Scotland. This was the root of present-day Boroughbridge. Further expansion came in the 1770s, when a lock was built at the side of Milby Weir and the river became navigable up to Ripon; from then on it was used to transport lime, lead and wool to York and on down to Hull. With river transport long overtaken by the railways, today the river is mostly utilised for leisure.

The Ure rises in the Pennines and travels east through the Yorkshire Dales National Park, flowing through Wensleydale about 70 miles upstream from Boroughbridge and runs through the rural market towns of Hawes, Middleham and Masham. At West Tanfield, the Ure turns south to Ripon, where it is partly canalised until it reaches Boroughbridge. East of town, the Ure picks up the River Swale at Myton, and six miles after that it changes its name to the Ouse between Little Ouseburn and York.

“Kingfishers can often be seen flashing through the undergrowth”

At 119 miles in total length, the Ure passes through gorges and over the waterfalls at Hardraw Force and Aysgarth in some of the Britain’s most glorious landscapes. Along its route, the Ure is swelled by several tributaries and enjoys a spectacular backdrop that is both natural and manmade. In the remote upper reaches of Wensleydale, it flows past Neolithic henges, cairns and burial mounds, revealing that the Dales have been inhabited since prehistoric times. As it descends towards Boroughbridge, high heather moorland slowly gives way to steep pastures grazed by sheep, ancient woodland and vast open tracts of arable farming land.

Lower down its course, the Six Dales Trail crosses the river just upstream of the stark ruins of Jervaulx Abbey, a Cistercian monastery founded in 1156. From there it leads through the photogenic market town of Masham, home to the rival breweries of Black Sheep and Theakstons. Downstream, the Ure runs through Hackfall Gorge, a local beauty spot ornamented with Victorian follies and fountains.

As well running through great scenic beauty, the riverside is home to some of Britain’s most endangered species. As the water quality has improved, water lilies are thriving, providing shelter for pond skaters and darting dragonflies, and it is now quite commonplace to spot kingfishers flashing through the undergrowth or white-throated dippers bobbing beneath the water. Water voles make their homes along the banks of the river, deer and badgers are often spotted in the valleys, and otters are occasionally sighted splashing in the current. With the return of clean water, the river has been largely given over to pleasure; fishing, walking along its banks and boating; Boroughbridge has responded to this change in use by building a marina and chandlery to service the barges and motor cruisers that putter upstream.

The upper reaches of the Ure as it flows through Wensleydale are a fly-fisher’s paradise, rich in grayling, brown trout and – increasingly, as water quality improves – Atlantic salmon. Around Boroughbridge, on the Roecliffe Meadows ponds as well as the river, coarse fishers (and fly fishers in season) can expect to catch chub, carp, roach and barbel with some big pike lurking too. For all fishing queries on the Ure in Boroughbridge, contact Jim Giles at Fish-n-Things on Horsefair (01423 324776); day tickets are currently £5 per rod.