The Strid at Bolton Abbey, in North Yorkshire, is part of the River Wharfe. A YouTuber claims it is the most dangerous stretch of water anywhere on Earth and has claimed lives
One of the most dangerous places in the world is a river in the UK, it has been claimed. The Strid at Bolton Abbey, in North Yorkshire, looks like a calm stretch of water, which is so narrow visitors can jump across it.
But missing the jump can kill you, according to YouTuber Tom Scott. He says there are claims falling in the spot, which is a section of the River Wharfe, has a “100% fatality rate”.
Despite looking shallow, it is actually “extremely deep”, with powerful river currents. In a video showing the river, he said: “I reckon it is the most dangerous stretch of water anywhere on Earth.
“There are certainly rivers that have taken more lives, and there are rapids and waterfalls that few boats could ever sail. “But generally you can see them coming.
“This is just an innocent-looking stream in the middle of some woods, you could jump over it. “People occasionally do, but if you miss that jump, it’ll kill you.”
The river “turns on its side”, which gouges out “passages and tunnels” in the rocks below. He added: “It’s a deep, boiling mass of fast and deadly currents.”
Anyone who falls in could end up “pulverised against the rocks and the water, over and over again”.
WorldAtlas describes the section as hiding “death traps” that have claimed lives for centuries and left “horrible memories” for survivors.
It is said to be narrow because the river actually changes orientation and starts to flow vertically instead of horizontally, leaving deep and powerful currents.
Mr Scott also said there are 12th century tales of a young boy set to be the future king of Scotland who died trying to jump across the water.
The YouTuber said it may be “survivable” with a lot of equipment and luck – but a young child drowned in 2010.
He concluded: “That’s why it’s so dangerous, it looks safe, it looks tempting, and it will kill you.”
Olalekan Ajimoti – Blogger, Content Writer, and Digital Marketer helping brands and retailers build 8-figure e-commerce since 2016.
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