The Yorkshire Dales - scenic beauty and the great outdoors
The Yorkshire Dales is an area of river valleys in the northern English county of Yorkshire, and the green rolling hills in between them. It is a national park that occupies the area from the Vale of York westwards to the to the Pennine hills. “Dale” is an old Yorkshire word for valley, and most probably came from Nordic or Germanic language.
The Yorkshire Dales are characterized by green meadows of grazing sheep, divided by drystone walls of limestone, and charming villages of stone built cottages.
There are plenty of campsites, numerous bed and breakfast establishments, and the area has a high density of Hostelling International Hostels, many of which have been in existence for decades, and have long served hikers and cyclists out appreciating the natural environment.
Places of note to visit in the Yorkshire Dales include Malham, a charming dales village which has nearby the famous Malham Cove. The cove is a limestone cliff at the head of a beautiful valley, and is popular with climbers. The feature is also visited by geologists, who are also interested in the fine example of a limestone pavement that lies above the cove.
Not far from Malham is the beautiful dales town of Settle – here you can get lovely fish and chips, and there are also a number of cafes, such as the highly recommended and bizarrely named Ye Olde Naked Man Cafe, which has been in existence as long as I can remember.
At Ingleton and Aysgarth there are fabulous waterfalls, and the village of Grassington is a wonderful place to stay too.
The area also has a number of caves, such as Gaping Gill, and White Scar Caves, both of which are open to the public.
With its fabulous walks and natural features, budget accommodation, reasonably priced places to eat, and lovely pubs for evening cheer, the Yorkshire Dales is a great area for a reasonably priced holiday.
