A Short Guide To The Yorkshire Dales
A beautiful part of England that should not be missed!
People have written whole books on the Yorkshire Dales, so a short summary cannot hope to do them justice. Perhaps it is best just to give a short account of what the Dales are, then outline some of the main reasons why so many people make this area their destination.
The Yorkshire Dales comprise an area of around 680 square miles in North Yorkshire, forming part of the Pennine Range of high limestone hills (often capped by millstone grit). Drainage of the area is mostly west to east and southeast, forming long parallel valleys that are the Dales themselves. There are a number of tributary valleys, such that there are around twenty named dales, each of which has its own charms and attractions. The area was designated as a National Park in 1954, which means that the area will forever remain unspoiled by industry excessive tourism, or housing development.
The Dales
The main dales, such as Wensleydale and Wharfedale, are broad, flat-bottomed valleys with a river running through that gathers tributary streams from the surrounding hills. These streams often cascade over waterfalls that are clearly at their best after a period of heavy rain, but this is England, so you won’t have to wait long!
