Wetherby
Wetherby is another great spot to get your cold water fix in the Wharfe.
This site is provided for information. People do swim at this spot, but this website in no way should be taken as proof that it is ‘safe’ to swim here. You must always make your own risk assessment, based on your own level of swimming competence and the conditions. Swim at your own risk. Always err on the side of caution, particularly if you are new to open water swimming. Educate yourself about the risks.
Getting there
You can park in the Wetherby Leisure Centre car park - the postcode is LS22 5FN.
Walk along the river next to the sports fields and look out for a bench. Below this bench is a small sandy / pebbly beach where you can enter the water.
It’s best to swim upstream from here. (It’s almost always the best idea to swim upstream when you get in, so it will be easier on the way back). Avoid going downstream, and particularly stay clear of the weir by the bridge.
I recommend using the what3words app to help find exact spots. Selecting the links below will take you directly to a 3 metre square location.
Car Park - https://w3w.co/escapades.value.risks
Entry to water — https://w3w.co/beginning.frozen.slack
River Swimming
Part of the charm of rivers is that they are changeable. For a swimmer this means that you must always assess the safety of entering the water. The depth and the speed of the water can increase quickly. You should avoid swimming in the Wharfe after heavy rain - this is when there is likely to be increased flow, as well as runoff from fields and often from treatment works.
Always be prepared to postpone your swim if the conditions aren’t right for you.
A brilliant resource for swimmers is the river gauge map. The nearest stations to Wetherby are Collingham and Flint Mill. You can check the level before you travel to have an indication of what to expect.
You can also check the flow from a meter at Tadcaster. Above 12 m3/s the river is quite fast and difficult to swim against. Keep an eye on recent weather - it can take a couple of days for heavy rain from the dales to make it down to Wetherby.