The River Aire is a major river in Yorkshire , England of length 114km (71m). Part of the river is canalised and is known as the Aire and Calder Navigation . The Aire is one of England 's major rivers and flows through one of the largest populated areas in the UK, which is West Yorkshire . It rises at Malham Tarn flowing underground to Malham Cove (Aire Head), near Malham , in North Yorkshire and flows through Gargrave and Skipton . After Cononley , the river enters West Yorkshire where it passes through the former industrial areas of Keighley , Bingley , Saltaire , Shipley , it then passes through Leeds , on to the villages of Swillington and Woodlesford . At Castleford is the confluence of the Aire and Calder; just downstream of the confluence was the ford where the ancient British road, utylised and strengthened by the Romans, crossed on its journey north to York. The river re-enters North Yorkshire near Knottingley and in its lower reaches forms part of the boundary between North Yorkshire and the East Riding of Yorkshire . The River Aire empties into the River Ouse at Airmyn , 'myn' being an old English word for 'river mouth'. The name possibly derived from British *Isara, meaning "strong river". The ancient British name for the Aire was Winwoed. [1]