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Valley in Yorkshire, England

Evidence of human settlement has been found dating back to Neolithic times and the valley has plenty of artefacts relating to the Celtic, Roman and Anglo Saxon periods. The Romans built a road over Stake Moss into what is now the village of Bainbridge in Wensleydale. The Anglo Saxon influence remains in modern times, with most settlements in Upper Wharfedale having Anglo Saxon derived names. The name of the valley is derived from the principal river that flows through it: the Wharfe, which comes from the Old English Weorf or Old Norse Hverfr, with both taken as meaning winding river. The River Wharfe starts at the confluence (at the hamlet of Beckermonds) of the Oughtershaw Beck and the Green Field Beck, each of which originates at the Pennine watershed, some north east of Ribblehead. The valley roughly follows a south easterly direction, providing a border between West Yorkshire (on the south side) and North Yorkshire. Between Oughtershaw Moss and Wetherby, the valley runs for 50 mile (80 km). The uppermost part of the valley is known as Langstrothdale. Below Beckermonds the river is known as the River Wharfe. Wetherby is traditionally seen as the foot of Wharfedale, even though the river continues on through the Vale of York.

The geology of the valley is split, with Upper Wharfedale consisting of carboniferous limestone of the Yoredale series. In the lower part of Wharfedale, around Ilkley and Otley, the underlying stone is mostly millstone grit, which can be seen best at the Cow and Calf rocks on the south side of the valley on Ilkley Moor. The Bramley Almanac for 1931 lists 'Earthquake in Wharfedale' for 15 December 1859.

As an electoral subdivision Wharfedale is a ward in the north east of the City of Bradford metropolitan borough. It consists of the settlements of Burley in Wharfedale, Burley Woodhead and Menston along with surrounding moorland. The population of the ward taken at the 2011 Census was 11,836.

In 2017, in consideration of regional geography, the Church of England changed its subdivisions and re grouped the Deanery of Wharfedale with that of South Craven, in order that the similar regions can work together more effectively.

One of the most renowned painters of the Victorian era, John Atkinson Grimshaw, portrayed the area in his piece, "Moonlight, Wharfedale" (1871 – oil on card ). He is known as one of the best and most accomplished nightscape and townscape artists of all time, and this painting is a prime example of his mastery. J. M. W. Turner also visited and painted scenes around Otley and Ilkley. Turner was commissioned to paint Kilnsey Crag, which he created as an oil painting in 1816. The valley was featured in episode three of the BBC Two series, The Yorkshire Dales.