Made by the elements

Formed over millions of years by water and glacial erosion, the Dales are a diverse collection of landscapes, each one unique and recognisable with its own communities and traditions.

Historically travel along a valley was much easier than between valleys. The valley floors are more fertile and easier to farm, while the fells (hilltops) were subject to harsher weather. Communities developed along the length of valleys, and the rivers that formed them, meaning each individual dale developed quite differently.

Life in the Yorkshire Dales is still very much inspired by the agricultural calendar, with agricultural shows and local events that bring the communities together with celebrations at high points throughout the year.

Do in the Dales

As well as its valleys the Yorkshire Dales is also famous for its peaks, the ‘Three Peaks’ of Ribbledale are a famed walking challenge, as is Great Whernside at the top of Nidderdale and Simon’s Seat, a popular walk destination overlooking Wharfedale.

One of the most popular walks is the Nidderdale Way, a circular route of 53 miles that tours Nidderdale from top to bottom, and back again. In early 2017 Claire Balding walked the Nidderdale Way in 6 days for the popular BBC Radio 4 Series, Ramblings.

The constantly undulating landscape in the Dales has also made it a popular destination for cyclists even before the Tour de France visited in 2014, and the repeated editions of the Tour de Yorkshire in the years since.