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West Beck

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Coordinates: 53°57′04″N 0°20′53″W / 53.951°N 0.348°W / 53.951; -0.348
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53°57′04″N 0°20′53″W / 53.951°N 0.348°W / 53.951; -0.348

West Beck
Emmotland Bridge spanning the mouth of West Beck (left) with Driffield Canal in the centre.
Map
Physical characteristics
Length15.3 miles (24.6 km)[1][2]
Basin size102 miles (164 km)[1][2]
Basin features
Tributaries 
 • leftLittle Driffield Beck
 • rightGipsey Race
Driffield Trout Stream
Main Drain
Skerne Beck

West Beck is the common name given to the upper section of the old River Hull, as it rises in the foothills of the Yorkshire Wolds. After reaching Frodingham Beck at Emmotland, it becomes called the River Hull. It is noteworthy for being the most northerly chalk stream in England. It provides fly fishing for wild brown trout and grayling.

Location

Starting at Elmswell as a spring, it follows a course which takes it past Little Driffield, around the southern edge of Driffield, through Wansford, past Corpslanding, and joins the Driffield Navigation at Emmotland. In the upper reaches it is known as Elmswell Beck, then Driffield Beck and finally West Beck.[3]

History

Used, near Driffield, as a source of power for flour mills.

The lower sections of the west beck are navigable, and Yorkshire Keels used to reach Wansford. Due to the shallowness of the river, an Act of Parliament was passed to create the Driffield Navigation. The main route was made further north using Frodingham Beck, and then a new canal from Fisholme through Wansford to Driffield, but the act included navigation to Corpslanding.

The village of Hutton Cranswick created a wharf at Corpslanding, and this has now become the upper legal limit of navigation on the waterway.

Ecology

The beck flows past two Wetland areas promoted and maintained by Yorkshire Wildlife Trust; Snakeholm Pastures and Skerne Wetlands[4] and the entire headwaters are designated as an SSSI on account of the chalk base, water quality and plnatlife.[5]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "West Beck Upper". Catchment Data Explorer. Environment Agency. Retrieved 7 November 2016.
  2. ^ a b "West Beck Lower to River Hull". Catchment Data Explorer. Environment Agency. Retrieved 7 November 2016.
  3. ^ "Chalk Streams". Yorkshire Wildlife Trust. Retrieved 7 November 2016.
  4. ^ "Skerne Wetlands". Yorkshire Wildlife Trust. 22 April 2016. Retrieved 7 November 2016.
  5. ^ "River Hull Headwaters" (PDF). Natural England. Retrieved 7 November 2016.
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