Jump to content

Yorkshire Dales: Difference between revisions

Coordinates: 54°16′N 2°05′W / 54.267°N 2.083°W / 54.267; -2.083
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Browse history interactively
← Previous edit
Content deleted Content added
VisualWikitext
m →Cave systems: Formatting
→Gallery: "fences" is unidiomatic, if not plain wrong
 
(33 intermediate revisions by 23 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
{{Short description|Upland area of the Pennines in Northern England}}
{{Short description|Upland area of the Pennines in Northern England}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2013}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2023}}
{{Use British English|date=August 2012}}
{{Use British English|date=August 2012}}
[[File:2015 Swaledale from Kisdon Hill.jpg|thumb|[[Swaledale]] ]]
[[File:2015 Swaledale from Kisdon Hill.jpg|thumb|[[Swaledale]]|upright=1.4]]
The '''Yorkshire Dales''' is an upland area of the [[Pennines]] in the [[Historic counties of England|historic county]] of [[Yorkshire]], England, most of it in the [[Yorkshire Dales National Park]] created in 1954.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.yorkshire.com/places/yorkshire-dales|title=Yorkshire Dales Area|website=Yorkshire.com|access-date=25 April 2013}}</ref>
The '''Yorkshire Dales''' are a series of valleys, or [[Dale (landform)|dales]], in the [[Pennines]], an [[Highland|upland]] range in England. They are mostly located in the [[Ceremonial counties of England|ceremonial county]] of [[North Yorkshire]], but extend into [[Cumbria]] and [[Lancashire]]; they are entirely within the [[Historic counties of England|historic boundaries]] of [[Yorkshire]]. The majority of the dales are within the [[Yorkshire Dales National Park]], created in 1954.<ref>{{cite web |title=Yorkshire Dales Area |url=http://www.yorkshire.com/places/yorkshire-dales |access-date=25 April 2013 |website=Yorkshire.com}}</ref> The exception is the area around [[Nidderdale]], which forms the separate [[Nidderdale AONB|Nidderdale]] [[Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty]].


The landscape of the Yorkshire Dales consists of sheltered [[glacial valley]]s separated by exposed [[moorland]].<ref name=":0">{{cite web |last=England |first=Natural |title=National Character Area Profile: 21. Yorkshire Dales – NE399 |url=https://publications.naturalengland.org.uk/publication/4674002 |access-date=13 October 2023 |website=Natural England |pages=3, 9 }}</ref> The predominant rock is [[Carboniferous Limestone]], which is particularly visible in the south-west in features such as [[Malham Cove]]. It is overlain in many areas by the [[Yoredale Series]] of alternating weak shales and hard limestones and sandstones, which give the dales their characteristic 'stepped' appearance.<ref>{{cite book |url=https://www.yorkshiredales.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/13/2021/02/YDNP-LCA-Overview-Report-lo-res-2.pdf |title=Landscape Character Assessment |publisher=Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority |year=2020 |pages=6–7}}</ref> Most of the dales contain rivers, and the area contains seven primary [[Drainage basin|catchments]]: the [[River Swale|Swale]], [[River Ure|Ure]], [[River Wharfe|Wharfe]], [[River Aire|Aire]], [[River Nidd|Nidd]], [[River Ribble|Ribble]], and [[River Lune|Lune]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Rivers and streams |url=https://www.yorkshiredales.org.uk/about/wildlife/habitats/freshwater/rivers-and-streams/ |access-date=12 October 2023 |website=Yorkshire Dales National Park }}</ref> There are several notable [[cave]] systems in the area, including the longest system in the United Kingdom, the [[Three Counties System|Three Counties]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Caving |url=https://www.yorkshiredales.org.uk/things-to-do/get-outdoors/adventure-activities/caving/ |access-date=13 October 2023 |website=Yorkshire Dales National Park }}</ref>
The Dales comprise river valleys and the hills rising from the [[Vale of York]] westwards to the hilltops of the Pennine [[Drainage divide|watershed]]. In [[Ribblesdale]], [[Dentdale]] and [[Garsdale]], the area extends westwards across the watershed, but most of the valleys drain eastwards to the Vale of York, into the [[River Ouse, Yorkshire|Ouse]] and the [[Humber]]. The extensive [[limestone]] cave systems are a major area for caving in the UK<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.yorkshiredales.org.uk/visit-the-dales/get-outdoors-dales/adventure-activities/caving|date=1 March 2016 |publisher=Yorkshire Dales |title=Get Outdoors|access-date=12 January 2019 |quote=There are over 2500 known caves in the Dales including the longest system in Britain}}</ref> and numerous walking trails run through the hills and dales.<ref>{{cite news|title=10 of the best walks in the Yorkshire Dales|date=2 May 2012|url=https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2012/may/02/top-10-walks-yorkshire-dales|work=The Guardian|access-date=12 January 2019

}}</ref>
Agriculture and other land management has significantly affected the appearance of the Dales, through the creation of pastures and meadows for livestock grazing and moorland for [[red grouse]] shooting. [[Dry stone]] walls and [[field barn]]s are characteristic of the valley floors, particularly [[Wensleydale]] and [[Swaledale]] in the north.<ref name=":0" /> [[Wensleydale cheese]] is a particularly famous product from the region.<ref name=":0" /> The dales are popular for hiking, and are crossed by the [[Dales Way]], [[Pennine Way]], and [[Coast to Coast Walk|Coast to Coast]] [[Long distance footpath|long-distance footpaths]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Walking |url=https://www.yorkshiredales.org.uk/things-to-do/get-outdoors/walking/ |access-date=13 October 2023 |website=Yorkshire Dales National Park }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Long distance routes |url=https://www.yorkshiredales.org.uk/things-to-do/get-outdoors/walking/long-distance/ |access-date=13 October 2023 |website=Yorkshire Dales National Park }}</ref> The [[Yorkshire Three Peaks]] is a walking trail entirely within the area which takes in its three highest mountains: [[Ingleborough]] ({{convert|723|m|ft|abbr=on}}), [[Whernside]] ({{convert|736|m|ft|abbr=on}}), and [[Pen-y-ghent]] ({{convert|694|m|ft|abbr=on}}).<ref>{{cite web |title=Yorkshire Three Peaks Challenge |url=https://www.threepeakschallenge.uk/yorkshire-three-peaks-challenge/ |access-date=13 October 2023 |website=Yorkshire Three Peaks Challenge}}</ref> The extensive cave systems are a major area for caving in the UK.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.yorkshiredales.org.uk/visit-the-dales/get-outdoors-dales/adventure-activities/caving|date=1 March 2016 |publisher=Yorkshire Dales |title=Get Outdoors|access-date=12 January 2019 |quote=There are over 2500 known caves in the Dales including the longest system in Britain}}</ref>


==Etymology==
==Etymology==
The word ''[[Dale (landform)|dale]]'', like ''dell'', is derived from the Old English word ''dæl''. It has cognates in the [[North Germanic languages|Nordic]]/[[Germanic languages|Germanic]] words for valley (''dal'', ''tal''), and occurs in valley names across Yorkshire and Northern England.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Ekwall|first1=Eilert|title=The concise Oxford dictionary of English place-names|date=1960|publisher=Clarendon Press|location=Oxford|isbn=0-19-869103-3|page=138|edition=4}}</ref> Usage here may have been reinforced by Nordic languages during the time of the [[Danelaw]].<ref>{{cite book|last1=Booth|first1=Michael|title=The Almost Nearly Perfect People|date=2015|publisher=Vintage Books|location=London|isbn=9780099546078|page=9|edition=1|chapter=Introduction}}</ref>
The word ''[[Dale (landform)|dale]]'', like ''dell'', is derived from the Old English word ''dæl''. It has cognates in the [[North Germanic languages|Nordic]]/[[Germanic languages|Germanic]] words for valley (''dal'', ''tal''), and occurs in valley names across Yorkshire and Northern England.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Ekwall|first1=Eilert|title=The concise Oxford dictionary of English place-names|date=1960|publisher=Clarendon Press|location=Oxford|isbn=0-19-869103-3|page=138|edition=4}}</ref> Usage here may have been reinforced by Nordic languages during the time of the [[Danelaw]].<ref>{{cite book|last1=Booth|first1=Michael|title=The Almost Nearly Perfect People|date=2015|publisher=Vintage Books|location=London|isbn=9780099546078|page=9|edition=1|chapter=Introduction}}</ref>


Most of the dales are named after their river or stream (e.g., [[Arkengarthdale]], formed by [[Arkle Beck]]). The best-known exception is [[Wensleydale]], which is named after the small village and former market town of [[Wensley, North Yorkshire|Wensley]], rather than the [[River Ure]], although an older name for the dale is Yoredale.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Rhea|first1=Nicholas|title=Why call it Wensleydale?|url=http://www.darlingtonandstocktontimes.co.uk/weekend/countrymansdiary/8620446.Why_call_it_Wensleydale_/|access-date=10 April 2018|work=Darlington and Stockton Times|date=5 November 2010}}</ref> River valleys all over [[Yorkshire]] are called "(name of river)+[[Valley|dale]]"—but only the more northern valleys (and only the upper, rural, reaches) are included in the term "The Dales".<ref>{{cite web|title=Yorkshire Dales guide - where, how and what|url=http://www.yorkshiredales.net/guide/|website=www.yorkshiredales.net|access-date=10 April 2018}}</ref>
Most of the dales are named after their river or stream (e.g., [[Arkengarthdale]], formed by [[Arkle Beck]]). The best-known exception is [[Wensleydale]], which is named after the small village and former market town of [[Wensley, North Yorkshire|Wensley]], rather than the [[River Ure]], although an older name for the dale is Yoredale.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Rhea|first1=Nicholas|title=Why call it Wensleydale?|url=http://www.darlingtonandstocktontimes.co.uk/weekend/countrymansdiary/8620446.Why_call_it_Wensleydale_/|access-date=10 April 2018|work=Darlington and Stockton Times|date=5 November 2010}}</ref> River valleys all over [[Yorkshire]] are called "(name of river)+[[Valley|dale]]"—but only the more northern valleys (and only the upper, rural, reaches) are included in the term "The Dales".<ref>{{cite web|title=Yorkshire Dales guide – where, how and what|url=http://www.yorkshiredales.net/guide/|website=yorkshiredales.net|access-date=10 April 2018}}</ref>


==Geography==
==Geography==
Line 17: Line 18:
The Yorkshire Dales are surrounded by the [[North Pennines]] and [[Orton Fells]] in the north, the Vales of [[Vale of York|York]] and [[Vale of Mowbray|Mowbray]] in the east, the [[South Pennines]] in the south, and the [[Lake District]] and [[Howgill Fells]] to the west. They spread to the north from the market and [[spa town]]s of [[Settle, North Yorkshire|Settle]], [[Skipton]], and [[Harrogate]] in North Yorkshire, to the southern boundary in [[Wharfedale]] and [[Airedale]]. [[Natural England]] define the area as most of the [[Yorkshire Dales National Park]] with fringes of the [[Nidderdale AONB]], but without the towns listed above apart from Settle.{{sfn|NE 21|2013|p=3}}
The Yorkshire Dales are surrounded by the [[North Pennines]] and [[Orton Fells]] in the north, the Vales of [[Vale of York|York]] and [[Vale of Mowbray|Mowbray]] in the east, the [[South Pennines]] in the south, and the [[Lake District]] and [[Howgill Fells]] to the west. They spread to the north from the market and [[spa town]]s of [[Settle, North Yorkshire|Settle]], [[Skipton]], and [[Harrogate]] in North Yorkshire, to the southern boundary in [[Wharfedale]] and [[Airedale]]. [[Natural England]] define the area as most of the [[Yorkshire Dales National Park]] with fringes of the [[Nidderdale AONB]], but without the towns listed above apart from Settle.{{sfn|NE 21|2013|p=3}}


The lower reaches of Airedale and Wharfedale are not usually included in the area, and [[Calderdale]], south of [[Airedale]] and in the South Pennines, is not often considered part of the Dales (even though it is a dale, is in Yorkshire, and its upper reaches are as scenic and rural as many further north).<ref>{{cite web|title=The Dales - Yorkshire Dales|url=http://www.yorkshiredales.co.uk/the-dales/|website=yorkshiredales.co.uk|access-date=10 April 2018}}</ref> Additionally, although the National Park includes the Howgill Fells and Orton Fells,<ref>{{cite web |title=Yorkshire Dales expand into Lancashire in national parks land grab |url=https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2016/aug/01/yorkshire-dales-expand-lancashire-national-parks-extension-leck-fell |work=The Guardian |access-date=20 January 2019}}</ref> they are not usually considered part of the Dales.
The lower reaches of Airedale and Wharfedale are not usually included in the area, and [[Calderdale]], south of [[Airedale]] and in the South Pennines, is not often considered part of the Dales (even though it is a dale, is in Yorkshire, and its upper reaches are as scenic and rural as many further north).<ref>{{cite web|title=The Dales – Yorkshire Dales|url=http://www.yorkshiredales.co.uk/the-dales/|website=yorkshiredales.co.uk|access-date=10 April 2018}}</ref> Additionally, although the National Park includes the Howgill Fells and Orton Fells,<ref>{{cite web |last=Pidd |first=Helen |date=1 August 2016 |title=Yorkshire Dales expand into Lancashire in national parks land grab |url=https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2016/aug/01/yorkshire-dales-expand-lancashire-national-parks-extension-leck-fell |access-date=20 January 2019 |work=The Guardian}}</ref> they are not usually considered part of the Dales.
[[File:Yorkshire Dales (near Malham).jpg|thumb|A view near [[Malham]], on the [[Pennine Bridleway]]]]

Most of the larger southern dales – Ribblesdale, Malhamdale and Airedale, Wharfedale and Nidderdale – run roughly parallel from north to south. The more northerly dales – Wensleydale and [[Swaledale]] – run generally from west to east.{{sfn|NE 21|2013|p=25}} There are many other smaller or lesser-known dales such as [[Arkengarthdale]], [[Bishopdale, North Yorkshire|Bishopdale]], Clapdale, [[Coverdale (dale)|Coverdale]], [[Kingsdale]], [[Littondale]], [[Langstrothdale]], [[Raydale]] [[Waldendale]] and the [[Washburn Valley]] whose tributary streams and rivers feed into the larger valleys, and [[Barbondale]], [[Dentdale]], [[Deepdale]] and [[Garsdale]] which feed west to the [[River Lune]].<ref>{{cite book|last1=Chrystal|first1=Paul|title=The Place Names of Yorkshire; Cities, Towns, Villages, Rivers and Dales, some Pubs too, in Praise of Yorkshire Ales|date=2017|publisher=Stenlake|location=Catrine|isbn=9781840337532|pages=102&ndash;104|edition=1}}</ref>
Most of the larger southern dales – Ribblesdale, Malhamdale and Airedale, Wharfedale and Nidderdale – run roughly parallel from north to south. The more northerly dales – Wensleydale and [[Swaledale]] – run generally from west to east.{{sfn|NE 21|2013|p=25}} There are many other smaller or lesser-known dales such as [[Arkengarthdale]], [[Bishopdale, North Yorkshire|Bishopdale]], Clapdale, [[Coverdale (dale)|Coverdale]], [[Kingsdale]], [[Littondale]], [[Langstrothdale]], [[Raydale]] [[Waldendale]] and the [[Washburn Valley]] whose tributary streams and rivers feed into the larger valleys, and [[Barbondale]], [[Dentdale]], [[Deepdale, North Yorkshire|Deepdale]] and [[Garsdale]] which feed west to the [[River Lune]].<ref>{{cite book|last1=Chrystal|first1=Paul|title=The Place Names of Yorkshire; Cities, Towns, Villages, Rivers and Dales, some Pubs too, in Praise of Yorkshire Ales|date=2017|publisher=Stenlake|location=Catrine|isbn=9781840337532|pages=102–104|edition=1}}</ref>


The characteristic scenery of the Dales is green upland pastures separated by [[dry-stone wall]]s and grazed by sheep and cattle.<ref>{{cite web|title=Managing the environment {{!}} Conflicts of land use {{!}} Limestone landscapes {{!}} Geology of Britain {{!}} British Geological Survey (BGS)|url=http://www.bgs.ac.uk/discoveringGeology/geologyOfBritain/limestoneLandscapes/resourcesConflictsSustainability/managingEnvironment.html|website=www.bgs.ac.uk|access-date=10 April 2018}}</ref> A survey carried out in 1988 estimated that there were just over {{convert|8,000|km|order=flip|0}} of dry-stone walling in the Yorkshire Dales.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Lloyd |first1=Chris |title=A dale, from wall to hall |work=Darlington & Stockton Times |issue=49–2018 |date=7 December 2018 |page=35|issn=2516-5348}}</ref> Many upland areas consist of heather moorland, used for [[driven grouse shooting|grouse shooting]] from 12 August (the [[Glorious Twelfth]]).<ref>{{cite news|title=Warning volleys fired as war of words erupts over grouse shoot|url=https://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/environment/warning-volleys-fired-as-war-of-words-erupts-over-grouse-shoot-1-8699083|access-date=10 April 2018|work=The Yorkshire Post|date=12 August 2017}}</ref>
The characteristic scenery of the Dales is green upland pastures separated by [[dry-stone wall]]s and grazed by sheep and cattle.<ref>{{cite web|title=Managing the environment {{!}} Conflicts of land use {{!}} Limestone landscapes {{!}} Geology of Britain {{!}} British Geological Survey (BGS)|url=http://www.bgs.ac.uk/discoveringGeology/geologyOfBritain/limestoneLandscapes/resourcesConflictsSustainability/managingEnvironment.html|website=bgs.ac.uk|access-date=10 April 2018}}</ref> A survey carried out in 1988 estimated that there were just over {{convert|8000|km|order=flip|0}} of dry-stone walling in the Yorkshire Dales.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Lloyd |first1=Chris |title=A dale, from wall to hall |work=Darlington & Stockton Times |issue=49–2018 |date=7 December 2018 |page=35|issn=2516-5348}}</ref> Many upland areas consist of heather moorland, used for [[driven grouse shooting|grouse shooting]] from 12 August (the [[Glorious Twelfth]]).<ref>{{cite news|title=Warning volleys fired as war of words erupts over grouse shoot|url=https://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/environment/warning-volleys-fired-as-war-of-words-erupts-over-grouse-shoot-1-8699083|access-date=10 April 2018|work=The Yorkshire Post|date=12 August 2017}}</ref>


==Cultural aspects==
==Cultural aspects==
[[File:Typical yorkshire village B 9079.jpg|thumb|right|A typical village in the agricultural area of the Yorkshire Dales]]
[[File:Typical yorkshire village B 9079.jpg|thumb|right|A typical village (Gunnerside) in the Swaledale agricultural area of the Yorkshire Dales]]
[[File:Field barn muker 9118.jpg|thumb|Tourists approaching a field barn in [[Muker]]]]
[[File:Field barn muker 9118.jpg|thumb|Tourists approaching a field barn in [[Muker]]]]
Much of the rural area is used for agriculture, with residents living in small villages and hamlets or in farmsteads. Miles of dry-stone walls and much of the traditional architecture has remained,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.yorkshirenet.co.uk/yorkshire-dales/landscape/|title=Yorkshire Dales, Northern England - landscape and history|work=Yorkshire Net|access-date=14 July 2018}}</ref> including some field barns, though many are no longer in active use. Breeding of sheep and rearing of cattle remains common.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.yorkshiredalesmanagementplan.org.uk/about-the-yorkshire-dales-national-park/special-qualities-of-the-yorkshire-dales-national-park|title=Yorkshire Dales National Park - Special qualities of the Yorkshire Dales National Park|publisher=Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority |access-date=14 July 2018}}</ref> To supplement their incomes, many farmers have diversified, with some providing accommodations for tourists.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/education/clips/zhpd7ty|title=Higher Geography - Yorkshire Dales - agriculture|work=BBC Bitesize|access-date=14 July 2018}}</ref> A number of agricultural shows are held each year.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.yorkshirenet.co.uk/yorkshire-attractions/agricultural-shows/|title=Yorkshire Agricultural Shows Guide|work=Yorkshire Net|access-date=14 July 2018}}</ref>
Much of the rural area is used for agriculture, with residents living in small villages and hamlets or in farmsteads. Miles of dry-stone walls and much of the traditional architecture have remained,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.yorkshirenet.co.uk/yorkshire-dales/landscape/|title=Yorkshire Dales, Northern England – landscape and history|work=Yorkshire Net|access-date=14 July 2018}}</ref> including some field barns, though many are no longer in active use. Breeding of sheep and rearing of cattle remain common.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.yorkshiredalesmanagementplan.org.uk/about-the-yorkshire-dales-national-park/special-qualities-of-the-yorkshire-dales-national-park|title=Yorkshire Dales National Park – Special qualities of the Yorkshire Dales National Park|publisher=Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority |access-date=14 July 2018}}</ref> To supplement their incomes, many farmers have diversified, with some providing accommodations for tourists.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/education/clips/zhpd7ty|title=Higher Geography – Yorkshire Dales – agriculture|publisher=BBC Bitesize|access-date=14 July 2018}}</ref> A number of agricultural shows are held each year.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.yorkshirenet.co.uk/yorkshire-attractions/agricultural-shows/|title=Yorkshire Agricultural Shows Guide|work=Yorkshire Net|access-date=14 July 2018}}</ref>


Lead mining was common in some areas of the Dales in the 19th century, particularly during 1821 to 1861, and some industrial remains can still be found, such as the Grassington miners’ cottages.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2010/aug/04/yorkshire-dales-mine-site-preserved|title=Historic Yorkshire Dales lead mine site to be preserved|first=Martin|last=Wainwright|date=4 August 2010|work=The Guardian|access-date=14 July 2018}}</ref> Certain former mining sites are maintained by [[Historic England]]. The Grassington Moor Lead Mining Trail, with its many remaining structures,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thedevonshiregrassington.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/tt_grassington_walk_2018.pdf|work=Wharfedale wander|title=A walk from The Devonshire, Grassington|access-date=14 July 2018}}</ref> has received funding from a variety of sources. The Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority provides a mobile-device software app for those who wish to explore the relevant areas.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.yorkshiredales.org.uk/living-and-working/other-services/press-office/news/recent/new-app-helps-lead-mining-come-to-life-in-national-park|title=New app helps lead mining come to life in National Park|publisher=Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority |access-date=14 July 2018}}</ref>
Lead mining was common in some areas of the Dales in the 19th century, particularly during 1821 to 1861, and some industrial remains can still be found, such as the Grassington miners' cottages.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2010/aug/04/yorkshire-dales-mine-site-preserved|title=Historic Yorkshire Dales lead mine site to be preserved|first=Martin|last=Wainwright|date=4 August 2010|work=The Guardian|access-date=14 July 2018}}</ref> Certain former mining sites are maintained by [[Historic England]]. The Grassington Moor Lead Mining Trail, with its many remaining structures,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thedevonshiregrassington.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/tt_grassington_walk_2018.pdf|work=Wharfedale wander|title=A walk from The Devonshire, Grassington|access-date=14 July 2018}}</ref> has received funding from a variety of sources. The Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority provides a mobile-device software app for those who wish to explore the relevant areas.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.yorkshiredales.org.uk/living-and-working/other-services/press-office/news/recent/new-app-helps-lead-mining-come-to-life-in-national-park|title=New app helps lead mining come to life in National Park|publisher=Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority |access-date=14 July 2018}}</ref>


==Tourism==
==Tourism==
Line 36: Line 37:
Visitors are often attracted by the hiking trails,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://theculturetrip.com/europe/united-kingdom/england/articles/the-best-hikes-to-take-in-the-yorkshire-dales/|title=The Best Hikes to Take in the Yorkshire Dales|first=Emma|last=Lavelle|access-date=14 July 2018}}</ref> including some that lead to waterfalls<ref>{{cite web |last=Lavelle |first=Emma |date=31 August 2017 |title=Seven Dramatic Waterfalls You Have to See in the Yorkshire Dales |url=https://theculturetrip.com/europe/united-kingdom/england/articles/seven-dramatic-waterfalls-you-have-to-see-in-the-yorkshire-dales/ |access-date=14 July 2018 |website=The Culture Trip}}</ref> and picturesque villages and small towns. These include [[Kirkby Lonsdale]] (just outside the area), [[Hawes]], [[Appletreewick]], [[Masham]], [[Clapham, North Yorkshire|Clapham]], [[Long Preston]] and [[Malham]].<ref>{{cite web |last=Lavelle |first=Emma |date=18 December 2017 |title=The Most Beautiful Villages in England's Yorkshire Dales |url=https://theculturetrip.com/europe/united-kingdom/england/articles/the-most-beautiful-villages-in-englands-yorkshire-dales/ |access-date=14 July 2018 |website=The Culture Trip}}</ref>
Visitors are often attracted by the hiking trails,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://theculturetrip.com/europe/united-kingdom/england/articles/the-best-hikes-to-take-in-the-yorkshire-dales/|title=The Best Hikes to Take in the Yorkshire Dales|first=Emma|last=Lavelle|access-date=14 July 2018}}</ref> including some that lead to waterfalls<ref>{{cite web |last=Lavelle |first=Emma |date=31 August 2017 |title=Seven Dramatic Waterfalls You Have to See in the Yorkshire Dales |url=https://theculturetrip.com/europe/united-kingdom/england/articles/seven-dramatic-waterfalls-you-have-to-see-in-the-yorkshire-dales/ |access-date=14 July 2018 |website=The Culture Trip}}</ref> and picturesque villages and small towns. These include [[Kirkby Lonsdale]] (just outside the area), [[Hawes]], [[Appletreewick]], [[Masham]], [[Clapham, North Yorkshire|Clapham]], [[Long Preston]] and [[Malham]].<ref>{{cite web |last=Lavelle |first=Emma |date=18 December 2017 |title=The Most Beautiful Villages in England's Yorkshire Dales |url=https://theculturetrip.com/europe/united-kingdom/england/articles/the-most-beautiful-villages-in-englands-yorkshire-dales/ |access-date=14 July 2018 |website=The Culture Trip}}</ref>


The {{Convert|73|mi|km|-long|adj=mid}} [[Settle–Carlisle line]] railway, operated by [[Network Rail]], runs through the National Park using tunnels and viaducts, including Ribblehead.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.yorkshiredales.org.uk/visit-the-dales|date=7 March 2018 |publisher=Yorkshire Dales |access-date=12 January 2019 |title=Visit the Dales}}</ref>
The {{convert|73|mi|km|-long|adj=mid}} [[Settle–Carlisle line]] railway, operated by [[Network Rail]], runs through the National Park using tunnels and viaducts, including Ribblehead.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.yorkshiredales.org.uk/visit-the-dales|date=7 March 2018 |publisher=Yorkshire Dales |access-date=12 January 2019 |title=Visit the Dales}}</ref>
[[File:Aysgarth Falls 9190.jpg|thumb|A small section of Aysgarth Falls]]
[[File:Aysgarth Falls 9190.jpg|thumb|A small section of Aysgarth Falls]]
The top-rated attractions according to travellers using the [[Trip Advisor]] site include [[Aysgarth Falls]], [[Malham Cove]] (scenic walking areas), [[Ingleborough]] (hiking trails) and [[Ribblehead Viaduct]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.tripadvisor.ca/Attractions-g186347-Activities-Yorkshire_Dales_National_Park_North_Yorkshire_England.html |title=Attractions|access-date=12 January 2019 |publisher=Trip Advisor}}</ref>
The top-rated attractions according to travellers using the [[Trip Advisor]] site include [[Aysgarth Falls]], [[Malham Cove]] (scenic walking areas), [[Ingleborough]] (hiking trails) and [[Ribblehead Viaduct]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.tripadvisor.ca/Attractions-g186347-Activities-Yorkshire_Dales_National_Park_North_Yorkshire_England.html |title=Attractions|access-date=12 January 2019 |publisher=Trip Advisor}}</ref>


The DalesBus service provides service in the Dales on certain days in summer, "including the Yorkshire Dales National Park and Nidderdale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty". In summer, these buses supplement the other services operating year-round in the Dales.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.dalesbus.org/|title=Welcome to DalesBus|website=DalesBus - Public Transport in the Yorkshire Dales|accessdate=28 February 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.dalesbus.org/news.html|title=Latest News|website=DalesBus - Public Transport in the Yorkshire Dales|accessdate=28 February 2021}}</ref>
The DalesBus service provides service in the Dales on certain days in summer, "including the Yorkshire Dales National Park and Nidderdale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty". In summer, these buses supplement the other services operating year-round in the Dales.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.dalesbus.org/|title=Welcome to DalesBus|website=DalesBus – Public Transport in the Yorkshire Dales|accessdate=28 February 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.dalesbus.org/news.html|title=Latest News|website=DalesBus – Public Transport in the Yorkshire Dales|accessdate=28 February 2021}}</ref>


Tourism in the region declined due to restrictions necessitated by the [[COVID-19 pandemic]] in 2020, and into 2021. Later in 2021, the volume of visits was expected to increase as a result of the 2020 TV series ''[[All Creatures Great and Small (2020 TV series)|All Creatures Great and Small]]'', largely filmed within the Dales.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/people/how-yorkshire-dales-businesses-are-preparing-all-creatures-great-and-small-tourism-boom-eventually-2971327 |title=How Yorkshire Dales businesses are preparing for All Creatures Great and Small tourism boom... eventually |date=15 September 2020 |work=Yorkshire Post |access-date=1 March 2021 |quote=He says this year has been extremely challenging for many businesses in the Dales. In the tourism business, it has been a disaster}}</ref> The first series aired in the UK in September 2020 and in the US in early 2021. One source stated that visits to Yorkshire websites had increased significantly by late September 2020.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.examinerlive.co.uk/whats-on/whats-on-news/new-creatures-great-small-brings-18988628 |title=New All Creatures Great and Small brings a huge increase in Yorkshire tourism |date=24 September 2020 |work=Examiner |access-date=27 February 2021 |quote=}}</ref> By early 2021, the ''Discover England'' websites, for example, were using the tagline "Discover 'All Creatures Great and Small' in Yorkshire".<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.visitengland.com/experience/discover-all-creatures-great-and-small-yorkshire |title=Discover 'All Creatures Great and Small' in Yorkshire |date=24 October 2020 |work=British Tourist Authority |access-date=27 February 2021 |quote=}}</ref>
Tourism in the region declined because of restrictions implemented in relation to the [[COVID-19 pandemic]] in 2020, and into 2021. Later in 2021, the volume of visits was expected to increase as a result of the 2020 TV series ''[[All Creatures Great and Small (2020 TV series)|All Creatures Great and Small]]'', largely filmed within the Dales.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/people/how-yorkshire-dales-businesses-are-preparing-all-creatures-great-and-small-tourism-boom-eventually-2971327 |title=How Yorkshire Dales businesses are preparing for All Creatures Great and Small tourism boom... eventually |date=15 September 2020 |work=The Yorkshire Post |access-date=1 March 2021 |quote=He says this year has been extremely challenging for many businesses in the Dales. In the tourism business, it has been a disaster}}</ref> The first series aired in the UK in September 2020 and in the US in early 2021. One source stated that visits to Yorkshire websites had increased significantly by late September 2020.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.examinerlive.co.uk/whats-on/whats-on-news/new-creatures-great-small-brings-18988628 |title=New All Creatures Great and Small brings a huge increase in Yorkshire tourism |date=24 September 2020 |work=Examiner |access-date=27 February 2021 }}</ref> By early 2021, the ''Discover England'' websites, for example, were using the tagline "Discover 'All Creatures Great and Small' in Yorkshire".<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.visitengland.com/experience/discover-all-creatures-great-and-small-yorkshire |title=Discover 'All Creatures Great and Small' in Yorkshire |date=24 October 2020 |work=British Tourist Authority |access-date=27 February 2021 }}</ref>


==Geology==
==Geology==
{{Main|Geology of Yorkshire Dales National Park}}
{{Main|Geology of Yorkshire Dales National Park}}
{{Panorama|image=Western Face of Thwaites scars.jpg|height=350px|caption=Cliffs of [[Carboniferous Limestone]] are a common geological feature in the Yorkshire Dales; this [[panoramic image]] shows the western face of [[Thwaites Scars]] taken from Long Lane.}}
{{Panorama|image=Western Face of Thwaites scars.jpg|height=350px|caption=Cliffs of [[Carboniferous Limestone]] are a common geological feature in the Yorkshire Dales; this [[panoramic image]] shows the western face of [[Thwaites Scars]] taken from Long Lane.}}
The dales are 'U'- and 'V'-shaped valleys, the former enlarged and shaped by [[glacier]]s, mainly in the most recent [[Devensian]] [[ice age]].<ref>{{cite book|last1=Ashbourn|first1=Julian|title=Geological landscapes of Britain|url=https://archive.org/details/geologicallandsc00ashb|url-access=limited|date=2011|publisher=Springer|location=Dordrecht|isbn=978-90-481-8860-4|page=[https://archive.org/details/geologicallandsc00ashb/page/n157 143]|edition=1}}</ref> The underlying rock is mainly [[Carboniferous Limestone]], which results in a large areas of [[karst]] topography,{{sfn|NE 21|2013|p=3}} in places overlain with [[shale]] and [[sandstone]] and topped with [[Millstone Grit]],{{sfn|NE 21|2013|p=6}} although to the north and west of the [[Dent Fault]]<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Underhill|first1=J. R.|last2=Gayer|first2=R. A.|last3=Woodcock|first3=N. H.|last4=Donnelly|first4=R.|last5=Jolley|first5=E. J.|last6=Stimpson|first6=I. G.|title=The Dent Fault System, northern England—reinterpreted as a major oblique-slip fault zone|url=http://jgs.lyellcollection.org/content/145/2/303|journal=Journal of the Geological Society|access-date=10 April 2018|pages=303–316|doi=10.1144/gsjgs.145.2.0303|date=1 April 1988|volume=145|issue=2|bibcode=1988JGSoc.145..303U|s2cid=129186311}}</ref> the hills are formed from older [[Silurian]] and [[Ordovician]] rocks.<ref>{{cite web|title=Out of Oblivion: A landscape through time|url=http://www.outofoblivion.org.uk/geology.asp|website=www.outofoblivion.org.uk|access-date=10 April 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Gorges {{!}} Topographical features created by erosion {{!}} Limestone topography {{!}} Limestone landscapes {{!}} Geology of Britain {{!}} British Geological Survey (BGS)|url=http://www.bgs.ac.uk/discoveringGeology/geologyOfBritain/limestoneLandscapes/limestoneTopography/Gorges.html|website=www.bgs.ac.uk|access-date=10 April 2018}}</ref>
The dales are U- and V-shaped valleys, the former enlarged and shaped by [[glacier]]s, mainly in the most recent [[Devensian]] [[ice age]].<ref>{{cite book|last1=Ashbourn|first1=Julian|title=Geological landscapes of Britain|url=https://archive.org/details/geologicallandsc00ashb|url-access=limited|date=2011|publisher=Springer|location=Dordrecht|isbn=978-90-481-8860-4|page=[https://archive.org/details/geologicallandsc00ashb/page/n157 143]|edition=1}}</ref> The underlying rock is mainly [[Carboniferous Limestone]], which results in a large areas of [[karst]] topography,{{sfn|NE 21|2013|p=3}} in places overlain with [[shale]] and [[sandstone]] and topped with [[Millstone Grit]],{{sfn|NE 21|2013|p=6}} although to the north and west of the [[Dent Fault]]<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Underhill|first1=J. R.|last2=Gayer|first2=R. A.|last3=Woodcock|first3=N. H.|last4=Donnelly|first4=R.|last5=Jolley|first5=E. J.|last6=Stimpson|first6=I. G.|title=The Dent Fault System, northern England—reinterpreted as a major oblique-slip fault zone|url=http://jgs.lyellcollection.org/content/145/2/303|journal=Journal of the Geological Society|access-date=10 April 2018|pages=303–316|doi=10.1144/gsjgs.145.2.0303|date=1 April 1988|volume=145|issue=2|bibcode=1988JGSoc.145..303U|s2cid=129186311}}</ref> the hills are formed from older [[Silurian]] and [[Ordovician]] rocks.<ref>{{cite web|title=Out of Oblivion: A landscape through time|url=http://www.outofoblivion.org.uk/geology.asp|website=outofoblivion.org.uk|access-date=10 April 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Gorges {{!}} Topographical features created by erosion {{!}} Limestone topography {{!}} Limestone landscapes {{!}} Geology of Britain {{!}} British Geological Survey (BGS)|url=http://www.bgs.ac.uk/discoveringGeology/geologyOfBritain/limestoneLandscapes/limestoneTopography/Gorges.html|website=bgs.ac.uk|access-date=10 April 2018}}</ref>


==Cave systems==
==Cave systems==
[[File:Gaping Gill.jpg|thumb|right|Gaping Gill]]
[[File:Gaping Gill.jpg|thumb|right|Gaping Gill]]
<!-- Image with unknown copyright status removed: [[File:Gaping Gill Floor.jpg|thumb|right|Impressive size of Gaping Gill]] -->
<!-- Image with unknown copyright status removed: [[File:Gaping Gill Floor.jpg|thumb|right|Impressive size of Gaping Gill]] -->
The underlying limestone in parts of the Dales has extensive cave systems, including the {{convert|87|km|mi|-long|adj=mid|order=flip}} [[Three Counties System]], making it a major area for [[caving]] in the UK. There are over 2500 known caves;<ref>{{cite web |date= |title=Caving |url=https://www.yorkshiredales.org.uk/things-to-do/get-outdoors/adventure-activities/caving/ |access-date=25 November 2022 |website=Yorkshire Dales National Park |quote=There are over 2500 known caves in the Dales including the longest system in Britain}}</ref> some are open to the public for tours.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.yorkshire.com/outdoors/rocksports/caving-and-show-caves |title=Caves and Caving in the Yorkshire Dales|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110906111433/http://www.yorkshire.com/outdoors/rocksports/caving-and-show-caves |archive-date=6 September 2011 }}</ref> Visitors can try caving at one of the show caves: White Scar Cave, Ingleborough Cave or Stump Cross Caverns near Greenhow.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.yorkshiredales.org.uk/visit-the-dales/things-to-see-and-do/top-10-places-to-see/our-show-caves|date=1 March 2016 |title=Our show caves|publisher=Yorkshire Dales |access-date=12 January 2019}}</ref>
The underlying limestone in parts of the Dales has extensive cave systems, including the {{convert|87|km|mi|-long|adj=mid|order=flip}} [[Three Counties System]], making it a major area for [[caving]] in the UK. There are over 2500 known caves;<ref>{{cite web |title=Caving |url=https://www.yorkshiredales.org.uk/things-to-do/get-outdoors/adventure-activities/caving/ |access-date=25 November 2022 |website=Yorkshire Dales National Park |quote=There are over 2500 known caves in the Dales including the longest system in Britain}}</ref> some are open to the public for tours.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.yorkshire.com/outdoors/rocksports/caving-and-show-caves |title=Caves and Caving in the Yorkshire Dales|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110906111433/http://www.yorkshire.com/outdoors/rocksports/caving-and-show-caves |archive-date=6 September 2011 }}</ref> Visitors can try caving at one of the show caves: White Scar Cave, Ingleborough Cave or Stump Cross Caverns near Greenhow.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.yorkshiredales.org.uk/visit-the-dales/things-to-see-and-do/top-10-places-to-see/our-show-caves|date=1 March 2016 |title=Our show caves|publisher=Yorkshire Dales |access-date=12 January 2019}}</ref>


The systems include:
The systems include:
Line 61: Line 62:
* [[Leck Fell|Leck Fell Caves]]<ref>{{cite news|last1=Holmes|first1=Matthew|title=Your pictures of the newly enlarged Yorkshire Dales and Lake District|url=https://www.theguardian.com/environment/gallery/2016/aug/04/your-pictures-of-the-newly-enlarged-yorkshire-dales-and-lake-district|work=The Guardian|date=4 August 2016|access-date=10 April 2018}}</ref>
* [[Leck Fell|Leck Fell Caves]]<ref>{{cite news|last1=Holmes|first1=Matthew|title=Your pictures of the newly enlarged Yorkshire Dales and Lake District|url=https://www.theguardian.com/environment/gallery/2016/aug/04/your-pictures-of-the-newly-enlarged-yorkshire-dales-and-lake-district|work=The Guardian|date=4 August 2016|access-date=10 April 2018}}</ref>
* [[Easegill System]]<ref>{{cite web|title=Three Counties system|url=http://www.yorkshiredales.org.uk/visit-the-dales/discover-the-dales/caves-and-potholes/ease-gill-system|website=yorkshiredales.org.uk|access-date=10 April 2018}}</ref>
* [[Easegill System]]<ref>{{cite web|title=Three Counties system|url=http://www.yorkshiredales.org.uk/visit-the-dales/discover-the-dales/caves-and-potholes/ease-gill-system|website=yorkshiredales.org.uk|access-date=10 April 2018}}</ref>
* [[White Scar Caves]] in [[Chapel-le-Dale]] near [[Ingleton, North Yorkshire|Ingleton]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.whitescarcave.co.uk/frame.htm |title=White Scar Caves|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081019003419/http://www.whitescarcave.co.uk/frame.htm |archive-date=19 October 2008 }}</ref>
* [[White Scar Caves]] in [[Chapel-le-Dale (valley)|Chapel-le-Dale]] near [[Ingleton, North Yorkshire|Ingleton]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.whitescarcave.co.uk/frame.htm |title=White Scar Caves|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081019003419/http://www.whitescarcave.co.uk/frame.htm |archive-date=19 October 2008 }}</ref>
* [[Ingleborough Cave]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://ingleboroughcave.co.uk/|title=Welcome to Ingleborough Cave|website=Ingleboroughcave.co.uk|access-date=31 January 2018}}</ref> in Clapdale near [[Clapham, North Yorkshire|Clapham]]
* [[Ingleborough Cave]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://ingleboroughcave.co.uk/|title=Welcome to Ingleborough Cave|website=Ingleboroughcave.co.uk|access-date=31 January 2018}}</ref> in Clapdale near [[Clapham, North Yorkshire|Clapham]]
* [[Stump Cross Caverns]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.stumpcrosscaverns.co.uk/|title=Stump Cross Caverns|website=Stumpcrosscaverns.co.uk|access-date=31 January 2018}}</ref> near [[Pateley Bridge]]
* [[Stump Cross Caverns]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.stumpcrosscaverns.co.uk/|title=Stump Cross Caverns|website=Stumpcrosscaverns.co.uk|access-date=31 January 2018}}</ref> near [[Pateley Bridge]]
Line 68: Line 69:
==Gallery==
==Gallery==
<gallery>
<gallery>
Dry stone fences in the Yorkshire Dales, England.jpg|thumb|Dry stone fences in the Yorkshire Dales
Dry stone fences in the Yorkshire Dales, England.jpg|Dry stone walls in the Yorkshire Dales
High Barn - geograph.org.uk - 168529.jpg|thumb|Typical Dales barn, near [[Selside, North Yorkshire|Selside]]
High Barn - geograph.org.uk - 168529.jpg|Typical Dales barn, near [[Selside, North Yorkshire|Selside]]
Janet's Foss 2.jpg|Janet's Foss, near [[Malham]]
Janet's Foss 2.jpg|Janet's Foss, near [[Malham]]
Ingleborough whole.JPG|[[Ingleborough]] as seen from the peat bog below
Ingleborough whole.JPG|[[Ingleborough]] as seen from the peat bog below
Line 83: Line 84:


===Sources===
===Sources===
*{{cite report|title=NCA Profile: 21. Yorkshire Dales (NE399)|publisher=Natural England|url=http://publications.naturalengland.org.uk/publication/4674002?category=587130|date=13 January 2013|format=PDF|access-date=10 April 2018|ref={{Harvid|NE 21|2013}} }}
*{{cite report|title=NCA Profile: 21. Yorkshire Dales (NE399)|publisher=Natural England|url=http://publications.naturalengland.org.uk/publication/4674002?category=587130|date=13 January 2013|access-date=10 April 2018|ref={{Harvid|NE 21|2013}} }}


==External links==
==External links==
{{Commons category|Yorkshire Dales}}
{{commons category|Yorkshire Dales}}
{{Wikivoyage|Yorkshire Dales}}
{{Wikivoyage|Yorkshire Dales}}
* [http://www.yorkshire.com/yorkshire-dales Yorkshire Dales Tourist Board]
* [http://www.yorkshiredales.org.uk/ Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority]
* [http://www.yorkshiredales.org.uk/ Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority]
* [http://www.yorkshiredales.co.uk/ Yorkshire Dales Community Pages]
* [http://www.yorkshiredales.co.uk/ Yorkshire Dales Community Pages]
* [http://www.yds.org.uk Yorkshire Dales Society]
* [http://www.yds.org.uk Yorkshire Dales Society] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060810180434/http://www.yds.org.uk/ |date=10 August 2006 }}
* [https://www.yorkshire.com/yorkshire-dales/ Yorkshire Dales] in [[Welcome to Yorkshire]]
* [https://www.yorkshire.com/yorkshire-dales/ Yorkshire Dales] in [[Welcome to Yorkshire]]


<!-- Please bear in mind that Wikipedia is an encyclopedia and not a directory. It may be that one or two links will add something to a page however they must only be placed on the relevant page and will always be subject to review by wikipedians.-->
<!-- Please bear in mind that Wikipedia is an encyclopedia and not a directory. It may be that one or two links will add something to a page however they must only be placed on the relevant page and will always be subject to review by wikipedians.-->


{{Yorkshire Dales}}
{{Authority control}}
{{Authority control}}
{{Coord|54|16|N|2|05|W|region:GB_type:landmark_source:dewiki|display=title}}
{{coord|54|16|N|2|05|W|region:GB_type:landmark_source:dewiki|display=title}}


[[Category:Yorkshire Dales| ]]
[[Category:Yorkshire Dales| ]]

Latest revision as of 11:11, 15 November 2024

Swaledale

The Yorkshire Dales are a series of valleys, or dales, in the Pennines, an upland range in England. They are mostly located in the ceremonial county of North Yorkshire, but extend into Cumbria and Lancashire; they are entirely within the historic boundaries of Yorkshire. The majority of the dales are within the Yorkshire Dales National Park, created in 1954.[1] The exception is the area around Nidderdale, which forms the separate Nidderdale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

The landscape of the Yorkshire Dales consists of sheltered glacial valleys separated by exposed moorland.[2] The predominant rock is Carboniferous Limestone, which is particularly visible in the south-west in features such as Malham Cove. It is overlain in many areas by the Yoredale Series of alternating weak shales and hard limestones and sandstones, which give the dales their characteristic 'stepped' appearance.[3] Most of the dales contain rivers, and the area contains seven primary catchments: the Swale, Ure, Wharfe, Aire, Nidd, Ribble, and Lune.[4] There are several notable cave systems in the area, including the longest system in the United Kingdom, the Three Counties.[5]

Agriculture and other land management has significantly affected the appearance of the Dales, through the creation of pastures and meadows for livestock grazing and moorland for red grouse shooting. Dry stone walls and field barns are characteristic of the valley floors, particularly Wensleydale and Swaledale in the north.[2] Wensleydale cheese is a particularly famous product from the region.[2] The dales are popular for hiking, and are crossed by the Dales Way, Pennine Way, and Coast to Coast long-distance footpaths.[6][7] The Yorkshire Three Peaks is a walking trail entirely within the area which takes in its three highest mountains: Ingleborough (723 m (2,372 ft)), Whernside (736 m (2,415 ft)), and Pen-y-ghent (694 m (2,277 ft)).[8] The extensive cave systems are a major area for caving in the UK.[9]

Etymology

[edit]

The word dale, like dell, is derived from the Old English word dæl. It has cognates in the Nordic/Germanic words for valley (dal, tal), and occurs in valley names across Yorkshire and Northern England.[10] Usage here may have been reinforced by Nordic languages during the time of the Danelaw.[11]

Most of the dales are named after their river or stream (e.g., Arkengarthdale, formed by Arkle Beck). The best-known exception is Wensleydale, which is named after the small village and former market town of Wensley, rather than the River Ure, although an older name for the dale is Yoredale.[12] River valleys all over Yorkshire are called "(name of river)+dale"—but only the more northern valleys (and only the upper, rural, reaches) are included in the term "The Dales".[13]

Geography

[edit]
See also: List of Yorkshire Dales

The Yorkshire Dales are surrounded by the North Pennines and Orton Fells in the north, the Vales of York and Mowbray in the east, the South Pennines in the south, and the Lake District and Howgill Fells to the west. They spread to the north from the market and spa towns of Settle, Skipton, and Harrogate in North Yorkshire, to the southern boundary in Wharfedale and Airedale. Natural England define the area as most of the Yorkshire Dales National Park with fringes of the Nidderdale AONB, but without the towns listed above apart from Settle.[14]

The lower reaches of Airedale and Wharfedale are not usually included in the area, and Calderdale, south of Airedale and in the South Pennines, is not often considered part of the Dales (even though it is a dale, is in Yorkshire, and its upper reaches are as scenic and rural as many further north).[15] Additionally, although the National Park includes the Howgill Fells and Orton Fells,[16] they are not usually considered part of the Dales.

A view near Malham, on the Pennine Bridleway

Most of the larger southern dales – Ribblesdale, Malhamdale and Airedale, Wharfedale and Nidderdale – run roughly parallel from north to south. The more northerly dales – Wensleydale and Swaledale – run generally from west to east.[17] There are many other smaller or lesser-known dales such as Arkengarthdale, Bishopdale, Clapdale, Coverdale, Kingsdale, Littondale, Langstrothdale, Raydale Waldendale and the Washburn Valley whose tributary streams and rivers feed into the larger valleys, and Barbondale, Dentdale, Deepdale and Garsdale which feed west to the River Lune.[18]

The characteristic scenery of the Dales is green upland pastures separated by dry-stone walls and grazed by sheep and cattle.[19] A survey carried out in 1988 estimated that there were just over 4,971 miles (8,000 km) of dry-stone walling in the Yorkshire Dales.[20] Many upland areas consist of heather moorland, used for grouse shooting from 12 August (the Glorious Twelfth).[21]

Cultural aspects

[edit]
A typical village (Gunnerside) in the Swaledale agricultural area of the Yorkshire Dales
Tourists approaching a field barn in Muker

Much of the rural area is used for agriculture, with residents living in small villages and hamlets or in farmsteads. Miles of dry-stone walls and much of the traditional architecture have remained,[22] including some field barns, though many are no longer in active use. Breeding of sheep and rearing of cattle remain common.[23] To supplement their incomes, many farmers have diversified, with some providing accommodations for tourists.[24] A number of agricultural shows are held each year.[25]

Lead mining was common in some areas of the Dales in the 19th century, particularly during 1821 to 1861, and some industrial remains can still be found, such as the Grassington miners' cottages.[26] Certain former mining sites are maintained by Historic England. The Grassington Moor Lead Mining Trail, with its many remaining structures,[27] has received funding from a variety of sources. The Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority provides a mobile-device software app for those who wish to explore the relevant areas.[28]

Tourism

[edit]

In this primarily agricultural area, tourism has become an important contributor to the economy.[29] In 2016, there were 3.8 million visits to the Yorkshire Dales National Park including 0.48 million who stayed at least one night. The park authority estimates that this contributed £252 million to the economy and provided 3,583 full-time equivalent jobs. The wider Yorkshire Dales area received 9.7 million visitors who contributed £644 million to the economy.[30]

A traditional pub with rooms to let in Hawes, in the Dales of North Yorkshire

Visitors are often attracted by the hiking trails,[31] including some that lead to waterfalls[32] and picturesque villages and small towns. These include Kirkby Lonsdale (just outside the area), Hawes, Appletreewick, Masham, Clapham, Long Preston and Malham.[33]

The 73-mile-long (117 km) Settle–Carlisle line railway, operated by Network Rail, runs through the National Park using tunnels and viaducts, including Ribblehead.[34]

A small section of Aysgarth Falls

The top-rated attractions according to travellers using the Trip Advisor site include Aysgarth Falls, Malham Cove (scenic walking areas), Ingleborough (hiking trails) and Ribblehead Viaduct.[35]

The DalesBus service provides service in the Dales on certain days in summer, "including the Yorkshire Dales National Park and Nidderdale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty". In summer, these buses supplement the other services operating year-round in the Dales.[36][37]

Tourism in the region declined because of restrictions implemented in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, and into 2021. Later in 2021, the volume of visits was expected to increase as a result of the 2020 TV series All Creatures Great and Small, largely filmed within the Dales.[38] The first series aired in the UK in September 2020 and in the US in early 2021. One source stated that visits to Yorkshire websites had increased significantly by late September 2020.[39] By early 2021, the Discover England websites, for example, were using the tagline "Discover 'All Creatures Great and Small' in Yorkshire".[40]

Geology

[edit]
Main article: Geology of Yorkshire Dales National Park
Cliffs of Carboniferous Limestone are a common geological feature in the Yorkshire Dales; this panoramic image shows the western face of Thwaites Scars taken from Long Lane.

The dales are U- and V-shaped valleys, the former enlarged and shaped by glaciers, mainly in the most recent Devensian ice age.[41] The underlying rock is mainly Carboniferous Limestone, which results in a large areas of karst topography,[14] in places overlain with shale and sandstone and topped with Millstone Grit,[42] although to the north and west of the Dent Fault[43] the hills are formed from older Silurian and Ordovician rocks.[44][45]

Cave systems

[edit]
Gaping Gill

The underlying limestone in parts of the Dales has extensive cave systems, including the 54-mile-long (87 km) Three Counties System, making it a major area for caving in the UK. There are over 2500 known caves;[46] some are open to the public for tours.[47] Visitors can try caving at one of the show caves: White Scar Cave, Ingleborough Cave or Stump Cross Caverns near Greenhow.[48]

The systems include:

[edit]
  • Dry stone walls in the Yorkshire Dales
    Dry stone walls in the Yorkshire Dales
  • Typical Dales barn, near Selside
    Typical Dales barn, near Selside
  • Janet's Foss, near Malham
    Janet's Foss, near Malham
  • Ingleborough as seen from the peat bog below
    Ingleborough as seen from the peat bog below

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Yorkshire Dales Area". Yorkshire.com. Retrieved 25 April 2013.
  2. ^ a b c England, Natural. "National Character Area Profile: 21. Yorkshire Dales – NE399". Natural England. pp. 3, 9. Retrieved 13 October 2023.
  3. ^ Landscape Character Assessment (PDF). Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority. 2020. pp. 6–7.
  4. ^ "Rivers and streams". Yorkshire Dales National Park. Retrieved 12 October 2023.
  5. ^ "Caving". Yorkshire Dales National Park. Retrieved 13 October 2023.
  6. ^ "Walking". Yorkshire Dales National Park. Retrieved 13 October 2023.
  7. ^ "Long distance routes". Yorkshire Dales National Park. Retrieved 13 October 2023.
  8. ^ "Yorkshire Three Peaks Challenge". Yorkshire Three Peaks Challenge. Retrieved 13 October 2023.
  9. ^ "Get Outdoors". Yorkshire Dales. 1 March 2016. Retrieved 12 January 2019. There are over 2500 known caves in the Dales including the longest system in Britain
  10. ^ Ekwall, Eilert (1960). The concise Oxford dictionary of English place-names (4 ed.). Oxford: Clarendon Press. p. 138. ISBN 0-19-869103-3.
  11. ^ Booth, Michael (2015). "Introduction". The Almost Nearly Perfect People (1 ed.). London: Vintage Books. p. 9. ISBN 9780099546078.
  12. ^ Rhea, Nicholas (5 November 2010). "Why call it Wensleydale?". Darlington and Stockton Times. Retrieved 10 April 2018.
  13. ^ "Yorkshire Dales guide – where, how and what". yorkshiredales.net. Retrieved 10 April 2018.
  14. ^ a b NE 21 2013, p. 3.
  15. ^ "The Dales – Yorkshire Dales". yorkshiredales.co.uk. Retrieved 10 April 2018.
  16. ^ Pidd, Helen (1 August 2016). "Yorkshire Dales expand into Lancashire in national parks land grab". The Guardian. Retrieved 20 January 2019.
  17. ^ NE 21 2013, p. 25.
  18. ^ Chrystal, Paul (2017). The Place Names of Yorkshire; Cities, Towns, Villages, Rivers and Dales, some Pubs too, in Praise of Yorkshire Ales (1 ed.). Catrine: Stenlake. pp. 102–104. ISBN 9781840337532.
  19. ^ "Managing the environment | Conflicts of land use | Limestone landscapes | Geology of Britain | British Geological Survey (BGS)". bgs.ac.uk. Retrieved 10 April 2018.
  20. ^ Lloyd, Chris (7 December 2018). "A dale, from wall to hall". Darlington & Stockton Times. No. 49–2018. p. 35. ISSN 2516-5348.
  21. ^ "Warning volleys fired as war of words erupts over grouse shoot". The Yorkshire Post. 12 August 2017. Retrieved 10 April 2018.
  22. ^ "Yorkshire Dales, Northern England – landscape and history". Yorkshire Net. Retrieved 14 July 2018.
  23. ^ "Yorkshire Dales National Park – Special qualities of the Yorkshire Dales National Park". Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority. Retrieved 14 July 2018.
  24. ^ "Higher Geography – Yorkshire Dales – agriculture". BBC Bitesize. Retrieved 14 July 2018.
  25. ^ "Yorkshire Agricultural Shows Guide". Yorkshire Net. Retrieved 14 July 2018.
  26. ^ Wainwright, Martin (4 August 2010). "Historic Yorkshire Dales lead mine site to be preserved". The Guardian. Retrieved 14 July 2018.
  27. ^ "A walk from The Devonshire, Grassington" (PDF). Wharfedale wander. Retrieved 14 July 2018.
  28. ^ "New app helps lead mining come to life in National Park". Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority. Retrieved 14 July 2018.
  29. ^ "Economy". Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority. Retrieved 14 July 2018.
  30. ^ "Trends in tourism in the Yorkshire Dales 2010 to 2016" (PDF). Retrieved 14 July 2018.
  31. ^ Lavelle, Emma. "The Best Hikes to Take in the Yorkshire Dales". Retrieved 14 July 2018.
  32. ^ Lavelle, Emma (31 August 2017). "Seven Dramatic Waterfalls You Have to See in the Yorkshire Dales". The Culture Trip. Retrieved 14 July 2018.
  33. ^ Lavelle, Emma (18 December 2017). "The Most Beautiful Villages in England's Yorkshire Dales". The Culture Trip. Retrieved 14 July 2018.
  34. ^ "Visit the Dales". Yorkshire Dales. 7 March 2018. Retrieved 12 January 2019.
  35. ^ "Attractions". Trip Advisor. Retrieved 12 January 2019.
  36. ^ "Welcome to DalesBus". DalesBus – Public Transport in the Yorkshire Dales. Retrieved 28 February 2021.
  37. ^ "Latest News". DalesBus – Public Transport in the Yorkshire Dales. Retrieved 28 February 2021.
  38. ^ "How Yorkshire Dales businesses are preparing for All Creatures Great and Small tourism boom... eventually". The Yorkshire Post. 15 September 2020. Retrieved 1 March 2021. He says this year has been extremely challenging for many businesses in the Dales. In the tourism business, it has been a disaster
  39. ^ "New All Creatures Great and Small brings a huge increase in Yorkshire tourism". Examiner. 24 September 2020. Retrieved 27 February 2021.
  40. ^ "Discover 'All Creatures Great and Small' in Yorkshire". British Tourist Authority. 24 October 2020. Retrieved 27 February 2021.
  41. ^ Ashbourn, Julian (2011). Geological landscapes of Britain (1 ed.). Dordrecht: Springer. p. 143. ISBN 978-90-481-8860-4.
  42. ^ NE 21 2013, p. 6.
  43. ^ Underhill, J. R.; Gayer, R. A.; Woodcock, N. H.; Donnelly, R.; Jolley, E. J.; Stimpson, I. G. (1 April 1988). "The Dent Fault System, northern England—reinterpreted as a major oblique-slip fault zone". Journal of the Geological Society. 145 (2): 303–316. Bibcode:1988JGSoc.145..303U. doi:10.1144/gsjgs.145.2.0303. S2CID 129186311. Retrieved 10 April 2018.
  44. ^ "Out of Oblivion: A landscape through time". outofoblivion.org.uk. Retrieved 10 April 2018.
  45. ^ "Gorges | Topographical features created by erosion | Limestone topography | Limestone landscapes | Geology of Britain | British Geological Survey (BGS)". bgs.ac.uk. Retrieved 10 April 2018.
  46. ^ "Caving". Yorkshire Dales National Park. Retrieved 25 November 2022. There are over 2500 known caves in the Dales including the longest system in Britain
  47. ^ "Caves and Caving in the Yorkshire Dales". Archived from the original on 6 September 2011.
  48. ^ "Our show caves". Yorkshire Dales. 1 March 2016. Retrieved 12 January 2019.
  49. ^ Krol, Charlotte (26 May 2015). "Yorkshire cave twice the height of Niagara Falls open to public for abseiling". The Telegraph. Archived from the original on 26 May 2015. Retrieved 10 April 2018.
  50. ^ Ward, David (29 December 2007). "Man and woman found drowned in flooded cave". The Guardian. Retrieved 10 April 2018.
  51. ^ "What lies beneath: Mossdale caving disaster". The Independent. 15 March 2008. Archived from the original on 7 May 2022. Retrieved 10 April 2018.
  52. ^ Holmes, Matthew (4 August 2016). "Your pictures of the newly enlarged Yorkshire Dales and Lake District". The Guardian. Retrieved 10 April 2018.
  53. ^ "Three Counties system". yorkshiredales.org.uk. Retrieved 10 April 2018.
  54. ^ "White Scar Caves". Archived from the original on 19 October 2008.
  55. ^ "Welcome to Ingleborough Cave". Ingleboroughcave.co.uk. Retrieved 31 January 2018.
  56. ^ "Stump Cross Caverns". Stumpcrosscaverns.co.uk. Retrieved 31 January 2018.
  57. ^ Dooks, Brian (16 November 2005). "Tranquillity returns to site that claimed a young boy's life". The Yorkshire Post. Retrieved 10 April 2018.

Sources

[edit]
[edit]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Yorkshire Dales.
Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Yorkshire Dales.


54°16′N 2°05′W / 54.267°N 2.083°W / 54.267; -2.083

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/enwiki/w/index.php?title=Yorkshire_Dales&oldid=1257527270"