River Cover

The River Cover is a river in the Yorkshire Dales in North Yorkshire, England. The Yorkshire Dales Rivers Trust has a remit to conserve the ecological condition of the River Cover. The river forms a limestone dale with ancient woodlands.

The source of the river lies in the shake holes that are found between Buckden Pike and Great Whernside that feed many small gills, such as East Stone Gill, West Stone Gill and Downs Gill. Where these conjoined flows meet Hazel Bank Gill is where the river becomes known as the River Cover.

It flows in a north-east direction past Woodale, Braidley and Horsehouse. It turns to the north north-east towards Gammersgill before returning north-east between West Scrafton and Carlton, North Yorkshire. Immediately east of Agglethorpe, the river turns east until it joins the River Ure south-east of Middleham.

The river flows north eastwards for 14 miles (22 km) and drains an area covering over 20,130 acres (8,146 ha).

The river is home for brown trout and grayling.

The river runs along a U-shaped glacial valley over Great Scar limestone with Yoredale rock forming the valley sides. It is a gently meandering river with a characteristic stony channel and beaches leading to wooded low banks. The wooded areas extend up into the many gills that join the river.