The Yorkshire Dales -A National Treasure for all to enjoy
The Yorkshire Dales is a varied and beautiful area stretching from the M6 in the West to the A1M in the East, covering approximately 1,500 square miles the core of which is The Yorkshire Dales National Park.

The Yorkshire Dales (Map)
The beauty of the Yorkshire Dales is famed. If you have ever seen an episode of the popular television series 'All Creatures Great and Small', the scenery will have impressed you as much as James Herriot's delightful stories. Small wonder that almost all of this area is within the Yorkshire Dales National Park.
The Dales region has many moods. It can be wild, spacious, tranquil, charming and, at times, awesome. It includes some of the finest upland scenery in the country, promising enjoyment whatever the season.
The Yorkshire Dales region is a rich mosaic of flower-filled meadows, high fells, heather moors and broad-leaved woodland, scattered with stone barns, drystone walls and an abundance of waterfalls. Cradled in the valley bottoms, stone-built villages guard centuries of history. In these thriving rural communities agriculture plays a vital role in maintaining the area's economy.
The area warmly welcomes visitors. Indeed tourism is vital to the local economy. Each year 8.3 million visitors come to the Yorkshire Dales National Park core area, vastly outnumbering a local population of just 18,000, and their impact is being felt on the environment.
Please remember that the Yorkshire Dales landscape is sensitive, and is not indestructible. The Yorkshire Dales requires constant conservation work to protect and enhance its natural beauty, wildlife and cultural heritage. Local authorities work to provide the best possible facilities for residents and visitors alike.
You too can play your part by ensuring you leave no litter, allowing our staff more time to carry out positive conservation work. Visitors are very important to our local economy and we welcome you.

The Northern Dales
The rolling hills of unspoiled Swaledale and Arkengarthdale rise above typical Dales' villages and a patchwork of fields marked by rugged drystone walls. It's hard to imagine that this green and peaceful area was once a busy centre for lead mining.
The Coast to Coast route, Pennine Way and Yorkshire Dales Cycleway all traverse Swaledale (left), where spectacular wild flowers fill meadows and roadside verges with colour each June and July.
Visitors can watch craftsmen and women at work throughout the Dale. These include pottery, furniture, patchwork, sculpture, paintings and model sheep and sheepdogs.
Where Swaledale meets Lower Teesdale, Richmond Castle dominates the thriving market town of Richmond, dramatically situated where the River Swale sweeps around high rocky outcrops. From the castle keep you can enjoy far reaching views beyond the cobbled market place where traditional markets are held. Richmond has three fascinating museums and, for the evening, the intimate Georgian Theatre Royal.
Wensleydale is a lush sweeping valley with wide gentle meadows and rich pastures rising up to meet high dramatic fells. Set in this stunning scenery is an abundance of attractions for visitors to explore. Browsers love the Wensleydale Craft Trail and varied shops lining cobbled streets in the Dale's market towns of Hawes, Leyburn and Masham. Wensleydale is often referred to as the 'Waterfall Valley'. You'll find the most spectacular falls at Hardraw and Aysgarth. Many villages have famous connections. Askrigg featured in television's 'All Creatures Great and Small', while Bainbridge lends its name to England's shortest river. Bolton Castle dominates the tiny village of Castle Bolton and at Constable Burton Hall extensive gardens are open to the public. In beautiful Bishopdale, detour to the charming village of West Burton to discover its village green, hidden waterfall and unique cat pottery.

Southern Dales
Malhamdale is famed for its limestone features, best illustrated by the domineering white face of Malham Cove. J.M.W Turner is just one of the many artists inspired by this dramatic landscape. Airedale is a blend of open moorland, rich pastures and craggy outcrops. At it's heart the historic market town of Skipton, known as "The Gateway to the Dales", is guarded by magnificent Skipton Castle, which overlooks a traditional open-air market. Visitors can follow the Leeds-Liverpool Canal, which runs through the centre of Skipton, by walking along its towpaths, or drifting on its waters in a traditional barge. The Embsay & Bolton Abbey Railway starts at nearby Embsay village. The Yorkshire Dales Cycle Way crosses the Southern Dales, along with a network of footpaths including the Pennine Way and the Dales Way, which follows the River Wharfe. "Golden Green" Wharfedale is chosen as favourite dale by many, including famous Yorkshire writer, J.B. Priestly. The River Wharfe rushes and tumbles through a patchwork of hay meadows, drystone walls and
field barns, and passes welcoming old stone villages such as Burnsall, Buckden and Kettlewell, which blend perfectly with the landscape.
The breathtaking scenery is punctuated by imposing natural sights such as the overhanging face of Kilnsey Crag, a popular challenge for climbers. Grassington, Wharfedale's chief town, echoes the past with cobbled streets and intimate curio shops. The two-week arts festival in June is a must. Lined with riverside paths, the River Wharfe runs deep and narrow through a tight gorge called the Strid, before widening and continuing southwards to Bolton Abbey, the heart of the Duke of Devonshire's Yorkshire estate.
In the shadows of mighty Ingleborough (left), the picturesque market town of Ingleton is surrounded by natural wonders. Ingleton Waterfalls tumble down wooded gorges. In the hillside beyond, White Scar Cave shelters underground waterfalls and streams, and thousands of stalactites. Ingleborough Cave and dramatic Gaping Gill, a cavern the size of York Minster has enthralled visitors for over half a century.
The Ribble Way, Pennine Way and the Yorkshire Dales Cycle Way cross this point of the Southern Dales, while the Settle-Carlisle and the Leeds-Morecambe Railway lines offer a choice of routes through this beautiful landscape.

 

Western Dales
Lying in the county of Cumbria the Western Dales are made up of Mallerstang, Garsdale, Dentdale and The Lune Valley. With the Pennine Range to the East and the smooth ripples of The Howgill Fells to the West, this is a delightful area.
Mallerstang hosts a traditional weekly market and has excellent antique and curio shops. The parish church is known locally as 'The Cathedral of the Dales'. Nestling in the foothills of The Howgill Fells is charming Sedbergh, an old market town with intriguing yards, a Norman church and a famous public school founded in 1525. The area has close ties with George Fox and the Quaker Movement.
Beautiful Dentdale is sheltered and secluded. Its main village, Dent, retains a feel of the past with its cobbled main street. Kirkby Lonsdale, in the delightful Lune Valley, is an attractive market town with speciality shops, 17th and 18th century inns and a Norman church. Spanning the nearby River Lune is the legendary Devil's Bridge. Views near here inspired a painting by J.M.W Turner.

Eastern Dales
A few miles north east of Addingham is the Wasburn Valley with its string of resevoirs - Swinsty, Fewston and Thruscross - centred around Blubberhouses on the A59 road to Harrogate.
Officially designated an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, Nidderdale (right) enjoys a unique landscape and atmosphere. Outdoor attractions include How Stean Gorge, a stone-cleft reaching depths of 80 feet ('Yorkshire's Little Switzerland'), plus the Gouthwaite Reservoir, featuring a renowned bird sanctuary. At the other end of the dale, Brimham Rocks are among the most interesting rock formations in the country. In the centre lies Pateley Bridge, a busy country town that hosts the Nidderdale Festival and Nidderdale Show every summer. Also worth a visit are the King Street Workshops and the Nidderdale Museum, whose fascinating collection of artefacts charts the history of the area.
Near Leighton Reservoir, the Island Heritage Centre breeds it own rare breed sheep and sells a range of woollen products using traditional methods. Fountains Abbey is the largest monastic ruin in Britain. There is a Visitor Centre and adjacent Studley Royal Water Garden, which includes 400 acres of Deer Park. Nearby Ripley Castle and Gardens offers a fabulous day out, including a Deer Park, lakes and walled gardens. Keen walkers can explore the dale on the 52 mile circular Nidderdale Way which can be joined at several points