Welcome to the Yorkshire Dales

The Yorkshire Dales is an area of great natural beauty in northern England, a large part of which has been designated as one of England and Wales' protected national parks.

Much of the landscape of the Yorkshire Dales is limestone country - lush green valleys (known locally as "dales") crested with white limestone cliffs ("scars") and limestone pavements cutting through wilder uplands beneath towering peaks ("fells") of dark millstone grit. Throughout the Yorkshire Dales, fields and pastures are bounded by distinctive white drystone walls which criss-cross the hillsides in elaborate patterns; set against the limestone cliffs and escarpments these walls (which were originally built by sheep farmers in days gone by) look almost a natural part of the limestone scenery as viewed today.

The geology here gives rise to some spectacular and unusual natural features, such as the towering white cliffs and limestone gorges of Malham Cove and Gordale Scar near Malham and the naturally sculptured millstone grit crags of Brimham Rocks near Pateley Bridge, as well as dramatic waterfalls sometimes hidden in deep wooded ravines such as those found on the famous Waterfalls Walk at Ingleton (which includes the impressive Thornton Force), Hardraw Force in Wensleydale (which is said to be Britain's highest unbroken waterfall), and also the very spectacular High Force in the northern reaches of Teesdale.

Text and Images taken from Yorkshire Dales web Site
http://www.yorkshire-dales.com