Jim Shead Waterways Photographer & Writer

Text and photographs copyright of Jim Shead.

River Ouse (Yorkshire)

Description: Runs 61.75 miles from Swale Nab, where it joins the River Ure navigation, to Trent Falls where it joins the rivers Trent and Humber.

History: Promoted by Acts of 1642, 1657, 1727, 1732 and 1767. Navigation from Widdington Ings to Swale Nab opened in 1769.
For more details see the History page.

Navigation Authority: MD's Office: Northern Waterways, General Manager: Yorkshire Waterways, Fearns Wharf, Neptune Street, Leeds LS9 8PB: Telephone 0113 281 6800 : Fax 0113 281 6886 :

Moorings at Ouse Bridge, York

Related Books

The Canals of Yorkshire and North East England (2) by Charles Hadfield, Edition: volume 2, ISBN: 0 7153 5975 4, 252 pages, Published by David & Charles, in 1973, Order now from .
The Canals of Yorkshire and North East England (1) by Charles Hadfield, Edition: Volume 1, ISBN: 0 7153 5719 0, 254 pages, Published by David & Charles, in 1972, Order now from .
Portrait of the Yorkshire Ouse by Ivor H Broadhead, 188 pages, Published by Hale, in 1982,
The Yorkshire Ouse. The History of a River Navigation by Baron F Duckham, Edition: 1st edition, 226 pages, Published by David & Charles, in 1967, 31 plates and 10 maps. Inland Waterways Histories series..
Nicholson/Ordnance Survey Guide to the waterways - 6 by Not known, ISBN: 978-0-00-728166-4, 190 pages, Published by Nicholson, in 2009, Nottingham, York & the North East. Includes the Aire & Calder, Chesterfield, Pocklington, Derwent, Fossdyke, Witham, Ouse, Ure, Rippon, Selby, Sheffield & South Yorkshire and Trent navigations.. Order now from .
Humber Keels and Keelmen by Fred Schofield, ISBN: 0 8613 8059 2, Published by Terrence Dalton Ltd, in 1988, The story of the working boats of North-East England.. Order now from .
The Yorkshire Ouse Navigation by Mike Taylor, ISBN: 0 7524 2369 X, 128 pages, Published by Tempus, in 2002, Historical photographs of the river and its commercial traffic.. Order now from .
Tugs & Towing Barges on the Humber Waterways by Mike Taylor, ISBN: 0 7524 3804 2, 128 pages, Published by Tempus, in 2006, Order now from .

Related videos

The Last Run II (Yorkshire Ouse and Aire & Calder Navigation) , 26 minutes Produced by IA Recordings, Two Journeys. The first is Acaster's purpose Built 'Little Shuva' pushing two barges loaded with newsprint up to York, recorded in April 1997. Sadly, this traffic is no more. The second is Dean & Dyball's Trentaire on the last run with sewage effluent from Knostrop near Leeds to Goole. Note there is no sound commentary. Available on tape. Order on video tape from

Related photographs

River Ouse (Yorkshire): Lendal Bridge, York Cruiser on River
River Ouse (Yorkshire): Naburn Locks Barges at lock
River Ouse (Yorkshire): Bishopthorpe Bishop's palace
River Ouse (Yorkshire): Skeldergate Bridge, York Waterfront in York
River Ouse (Yorkshire): Lendal Bridge, York Barges moored
River Ouse (Yorkshire): Ouse Bridge, York Boats moored
River Ouse (Yorkshire): Naburn Locks

Related External Web Sites

York Boat River Cruises Tours on the Yorkshire Ouse from York city centre
York Marine Services Boating services on the River Ouse including holiday hire cruisers and day-hire boats.

Related Cruising Logs

Other Related Pages

Cruising Times

Lock Sizes and maximum craft dimensions: Naburn Lock maximum craft size: Length 150 foot, beam 25 foot 6 inches. Linton Lock: Length 60 foot, beam 15 foot 4 inches. NOTE: For more details of maximum lock and craft sizes and the basis of these figures see Craft and Lock Sizes Page

River Ouse (Yorkshire): Table of distances		Miles	Locks	Navigable (N)	Grid ref	OS Map No
Swale Nab Junction	Junction with River Ure Junction with River Ure Navigation and the River Swale	0	0	N	SE430660	99
Aldwark Bridge		4.3	0	N	SE467621	100
Ouseburn Junction	Also called Ouse Gill Beck	5.6	0	N	SE473604	100
Linton Lock		7.8	1	N	SE500600	100
Newton-on-Ouse		8.8	1	N	SE510600	997
Widdington Ings		9.8	1	N	SE513583	105
River Nidd Junction		10	1	N	SE513578	105
Beningbrough		11.3	1	N	SE528576	105
Overton		13.3	1	N	SE551557	105
Nether Poppleton		13.8	1	N	SE558551	105
Rawcliffe Ings		14.8	1	N	SE571552	105
Clifton Ings		15.8	1	N	SE581530	105
Lendal Bridge, York		17.5	1	N	SE600519	105
Ouse Bridge, York		17.8	1	N	SE602516	105
Skeldergate Bridge, York		18	1	N	SE604513	105
River Foss Junction	Junction with River Foss	18.3	1	N	SE605510	105
Bishopthorpe		20.8	1	N	SE600476	105
Naburn Ferry	Naburn Village	22.3	1	N	SE598456	105
Acaster Malbis		22.8	1	N	SE590454	105
Naburn Locks	Large and small locks	23.5	2	N	SE594445	105
Acaster Selby		26.3	2	N	SE575414	105
River Wharfe Junction	Junction with River Wharfe	28	2	N	SE573390	105
Cawood Bridge	B1222 road bridge	29	2	N	SE574378	105
Kelfield		30.3	2	N	SE593382	105
Riccal Landing		31.5	2	N	SE608381	105
Barlby		35.3	2	N	SE627338	105
Selby Bridge	A19 road bridge	36.8	2	N	SE617325	105
Selby Junction	Junction with Aire & Calder Navigation - Selby Section Selby Branch of the Aire and Calder Navigation	37	2	N	SE622322	105
Hemingbrough		42.3	2	N	SE669301	106
Barby-on-the-Marsh	Junction with River Derwent River Derwent junction	43.5	2	N	SE681285	106
Long Drax Railway Bridge (site of)		44.1	2	N	SE685281	105
Asselby Island	Junction with River Aire River Aire junction	47.3	2	N	SE722262	105
Boothferry Bridge	A614 road bridge	48	2	N	SE733262	105
Howden Dyke	Ferry and Shipyard	50	2	N	SE758266	106
Hook and Skelton Vlllages	On opposite sides of the navigation	50.8	2	N	SE764257	106
Goole Junction	Junction with Aire & Calder Main Line Junction with Aire and Calder Navigation Main Line	52.8	2	N	SE751229	106
Don Junction, Goole	Junction with River Don Junction with River Don (Dutch River)	52.9	2	N	SE751227	106
Swinefleet		54.8	2	N	SE768223	105
Saltmarshe		56.8	2	N	SE789239	112
Whitgift		57.8	2	N	SE811229	106
Blacktoft		59.8	2	N	SE843240	106
Trent Falls	Junctions with River Humber and River Trent Junction with the Trent and Humber	60.8	2	N	SE865236	106

NOTE: N and U in the Navigable column above indicates that the node is navigable or unnavigable. If a D appears here it means that navigation is difficult or restricted to smaller craft.

Text and photographs copyright of Jim Shead.