In the centre of Nidderdale this idyllic market town stretches up the hillside. Pateley Bridge is the perfect base for walking, cycling, exploring or just enjoying a day in the countryside.

The town boasts historic buildings, delicious food from local producers and a history stretching back for centuries.

Pateley Bridge has an idyllic and award-winning high street that looks as though it was designed with postcards in mind. Here you will find locally produced food and drink, gifts and keepsakes as well as traditional Yorkshire hospitality in cafes, pubs and tearooms.

The little courtyards and ginnels that lead off the high street contain curiosities and gems that are part of the town’s charm. Many of the town’s historical buildings have found new uses, from the workhouse that now houses a museum and craft workshops, to the Methodist chapel that is now a theatre.

At the foot of the high street, you will find the River Nidd. At this point in its journey, the river has gained some size since its birth 15 miles up the valley. Here the Nidd alternates between shallow babbling activity and slower wider and more peaceful sections. With riverside walks up and downstream, the Nidd is great for exploring nature and spotting wildlife. The river is home to kingfishers, dippers and otters as well as many other birds and mammals.

Pateley Bridge, the heart of Nidderdale National Landscape

Pateley Bridge is located in the heart of Nidderdale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) and is the perfect base for a day out in Yorkshire’s great outdoors. Whether on foot, on road bike or mountain bike, from Pateley Bridge you will find climbs, views and discovery when you set out to explore the Nidderdale landscape.

As you explore Nidderdale it is impossible not to stumble across the footprints of the past. Victorian industry found a range of useful minerals and resources in the valley. From the railways that once reached all the way to the top of the alley, to the abandoned mines and quarries that can be found in almost every small valley or hillside – the landscape is a museum to the history of Nidderdale.

With a short heritage trail, and a number of points of interest this dales town rewards inquisitive exploration while the large play area and recreation ground offers space for young ones to burn off energy. Visit Pateley Bridge and fall in love with Nidderdale.