Yorkshire Dales North Yorkshire Attractions

In the main the Dales are in North Yorkshire. A small part to the south borders on Bradford Metropolitan Council and a small portion to the North North West is in Cumbria. As a general rule here it is untampered with natural countryside. There are many rules in place that mean it will stay an area of outstanding natural beauty for generations to come. As one of the many attractions in North Yorkshire this is one landscape you will remember.

The landscape of the Yorkshire Dales has been 12,000 years in the making. Its characteristic smooth moors and green valleys were etched into the scenery during the last ice age, which, once dispersed, revealed one of England's most iconic rural districts.

Despite their shared heritage, each dale has its own distinct identity. The southern valleys, for example, are generally wider and more accessible, whereas those in the north (e.g. Wensleydale and Swaledale) exhibit a rougher, wilder and more remote edge. All are perfect for both walking and sightseeing, however, and there are plenty of geological treasures to be discovered along the way. Journeying across its 1,100 square miles you'll encounter some of the country's highest waterfalls, limestone pavements, hay meadows, babbling burns and hilltop lakes.

The wildlife is diverse. Roe deer and badgers inhabit the various smatterings of forest, salmon leap upstream in the autumn and merlin falcons soar high above the rolling heather moors. As far as human influence is concerned, local structures run the architectural gamut, from picturesque stone villages to imposing medieval castles and ruined abbeys. The entire area (and part of Cumbria) was designated a National Park in 1954; it attracts over eight million visitors every year.

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