The Yorkshire Dales

Time 2020-12-23 10:03:56

Web Name: The Yorkshire Dales

WebSite: http://www.yorkshire-dales.com

ID:143504

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The Yorkshire Dales is an area of great natural beauty in NorthernEngland, a large part of which has been designated as anational park. [N.B. Please note that due to political boundary changes some areas of the "classical" Yorkshire Dalesactually lie outside of the regions which now officially constitute "Yorkshire".]Much of the landscape here is limestone country - lush green valleys (known locally as "dales") crested with white limestone cliffs("scars") limestone pavements cutting through wilder uplands beneath towering peaks of darkmillstone grit. Throughout the dales, fields and pastures are bounded by distinctive whitedrystone walls which criss-cross the hillsides in elaborate patterns;set against the limestone cliffs and escarpments these walls (which were originally builtby sheep farmers in days gone by) look almost a natural part of thelimestone scenery as viewed today. Thegeologyheregives rise to some spectacular and unusual natural features, such as the toweringwhite cliffs limestone gorgesMalham CoveGordale ScarMalham,Kilnsey CragKilnseyUpper Wharfedale,How Stean Gorgethe naturally sculptured millstone grit outcrops ofBrimham RocksPateley BridgeNidderdale,as well as dramatic waterfalls sometimes hidden in deep wooded ravines such as those found on the famousWaterfalls WalkIngleton(which includes the impressiveThornton Force),Hardraw ForceWensleydale(which is said to be Britain's highest unbroken waterfall),and also the very spectacularHigh Forcein the northern reaches ofTeesdale.But besides the obvious attractions, a hidden world lies beneath the surface of the Yorkshire Dales, with the limestone hills being honeycombed by countless caves and potholes. A subterranean wonderland of stalactites and stalagmites, cathedral-sized chambers, underground rivers andwaterfalls waits here to be explored by the intrepid, with new passages and cave systems still being discovered and surveyed. Gentler tourist attractions include popular riverside beauty spots such asBolton Abbey in Wharfedale,Aysgarth Falls Wensleydale.These often get busy especially in the summer, though it is usually easily possible to get away from the tourists in the hundreds of square milesof unspoiled countryside that lie within the boundaries of this beautiful area.Geographically, the classical Yorkshire Dales spread to the north from the market and spa towns ofSettle, Skipton, Ilkley Harrogate in North Yorkshire, with most of the larger southern dales (e.g. Ribblesdale, Malhamdale Airedale, Wharfedale Nidderdale) running roughly parallel from north to south, and themore northerly dales and valleys(e.g.Wensleydale, Swaledale,Stainmore Gap Teesdale) running generally from west toeast. There are also many other smaller or lesser known dales (e.g. Arkengarthdale, Barbondale,Bishopdale,Clapdale,Coverdale,Crummackdale,DentdaleDeepdale,Garsdale,Kingsdale,Littondale, Langstrothdale,Mossdale,Raydale,Sleddale,Waldendale,Widdale and theWashburn Valley - to name but a few) whose tributary streams and rivers feed in to thelarger valleys. [N.B. Pleaseclick herefor more information about thegeographical definitionand to view amapof theYorkshire Dales area.]To the east the countryside becomes gentler, sloping off to the Vale of York and the towns ofRipon,Thirsk,and the historic city of Yorkitself. Beyond that, to the north east lies Yorkshire's other national park,The North York Moors- stretching across to theYorkshire Coast, and the popular seaside resorts ofWhitbyScarborough.To the south west and the south lie the wild heather moors ofBronte Countryand the industrial conurbation of West Yorkshire - including the cities ofLeedsBradford.Needless to say, there are lots ofthings to do in the Yorkshire Dales- includingwalking and rambling,cycling andmountain biking,rock climbingcavingand evenparagliding.Britain's most famous long distance footpath, the Pennine Way passes through the Yorkshire Dales, as does the Dales Way and theDales High Wayfootpaths, Wainwright's popularCoast to Coast Walk, and the world famousSettle - Carlisle railway line- one of Britain's most spectacular train journeys. Other railways taking in the scenery of the dales include theEmbsay and Bolton Abbey Steam Railway,and theWensleydale Railway.With its stunning scenery (as shown in the separateviews section),Yorkshire Dales areahas served as inspiration for the poets and artists of the "romantic movement" of the 19th Century(including William WordsworthJ.M.W. Turner).Having also featured in several television series and films of recent years (e.g. James Herriot's "All Creatures Great and Small", ITV's soap opera"Emmerdale","Calendar Girls" and the Hollywood movie "Robin Hood - Prince of Thieves"etc.), tourism plays an increasing part in the life of theYorkshire Dales areatoday, though even the most popular sites are usually much less busy than some ofEngland's other areas of great scenic attraction (e.g. the Lake District). For sheer solitude and unspoiled natural beauty, the Yorkshire Dales remains one ofEngland's"crown jewels", and no visit to the north should be complete without exploringsome of the country's finest limestone scenery.places to visit and practical information about the Yorkshire Dales, (includinginformation for disabled visitors) please take a look around this website using the menu at the top of this page, by following internal links and/or using the Google site search box given below:

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Welcome to the Yorkshire Dales, an area of great scenic beauty in the North of England

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