Yorkshire Dales

The Yorkshire Dales are 680 miles square of an upland limestone area with 20 dales. They were designated as a national park in 1954 and the majority of it lies in North Yorkshire, while there is some in West Yorkshire. There is a proposal to extend the park to the M6 motorway to encompass the area around Kirkby Stephen and Appleby-in-Westmorland in Cumbria.

Most of the dales are named after their river or stream. One relaxing way to enjoy them is the Settle to Carlisle railway, which is one of the best routes in the country for stunning views. The Dales are ideal for a number of outdoor activities and are especially popular with walkers.

Wharfedale is one of the most visited Dales as it is close to the A65 road. Malhamdale is also very popular. The village of Malham is frequently visited as is Ribblesdale (due to Three Peaks challenge of Pen-y-ghent, Ingleborough and Whernside) Dentdale and Wensleydale also popular, while Swadale encompasses Richmond.

Skipton is a historic market town, that acts as a magnet to the local communities on market days. The town has a Norman castle which is in good condition due to the efforts of Lady Anne Clifford and her family who restored it between 1650-75 after the English civil war. The Leeds Liverpool canal run through the town which offer daily cruisers.

Bolton Abbey(the name of village) is 5 miles east of Skipton has ruins of Bolton Priory that dates back to 1150. It is well known in that the famous artist Turner painted it. The area is known for walks including part of the Dales Way which follows rivers west bank via Bolton woods to the Strid an impressive narrow white water funnel. the Embsey and Bolton railway gives a scenic approach to the priory.

Grassington is Wharfedale's main village, located by the river where there are the Linton falls. The town has cobbled market square and some fine Georgian buildings, shops and a museum. Scenery above Grassington becomes more beautiful. Littondale is stunning and best approached from Arncliffe. Village of Litton is unspoilt. Village of Kettlewell used for filming of the popular Calendar Girls film.

There is a National Park centre on Hebden road Grassington.

Malhamdale is popular for 3 main reasons. Malham Cove a "white walled amphitheatre rising300ft and there are prehhistoric fields on river banks", Malham Tarn a glacial lake and Gondale Scar impressicve cliff view. Malham village quite small.

Settle has a 17th Century Market square town best viewed fron Castleberg, a wooded knoll. Horton in Ribblesdale old village is an important walking centre for the 3 peaks walk which is a 25 mile 12 hour walk. Pen-y-Ghent cafe also acts as a tourist office.

Ingleton sits between 2 streams, the Twiss and the Doe, and is popular as the wooded valleys are picturesque. Ingleton has a visitors centre and a YHA. Local to Ingleton is the Falls walk, which is 4.5 miles that takes in both valleys. Outside Ingleton is the White Scar caves, one of the most impressive in England.

In Dentdale, the village of Dent once had a hand knitting industry that became redundant during the industrial revolution. The village has retained it's old world character and is now visited because of it.

Wensleydale was originally known as Yoredale in the Medieval times as the Rover Ure passes through it. It is one of the most visited dales, and best known possibly because of the delicious white cheese that comes from the area. The Wensleydale Creamery is in Hawes, which is the highest market town in Yorkshire. Hawes is also a centre for walking and the National Park centre shares a building with a local countryside museum.

Askrigg 6 miles east of Hawes is where James Herriott' s All Creatures Great and Small novels were based and filmed for the popular television series

Asgarth is also a popular destination mostly because of the Asgarth falls upper and lower limestone.

Masham (pronounced Mass'm) market town that is home to Theakstons and Black Sheep brewers both of which are open to public.