The River Ure flows down Wensleydale which is one of our largest and most prominent valleys. Flowing past the town of Hawes, it continues past Aysgarth and then the lovely market towns of Middleham.
The River has its source not far from the Moorcock Inn at a dramatic gorge known as Hell Gill. As it flows through Wensleydale its most famous feature is the triple drop Aysgarth Falls. There are also some great waterfalls, which involve a bit more of a walk, at Redmire.
Most dales in the National Park are named after the river that flows down them. However Wensleydale is different as it is now named after the small (but once more important) village of Wensley. There are clues however that this wasn't always the case, Yore Bridge outside the village of Bainbridge, for instance. In old books the dale is called Uredale or Yoredale. Even Jervaulx Abbey gets its name from the dale it was originally founded in. You can read more about the abbey's origin on our Out of Oblivion website.
