Yorkshire Dales

A limestone-valley national park in the Pennines, where Malham Cove, Aysgarth Falls and the Ribblehead Viaduct sit among dry-stone-walled pastures, alongside the Yorkshire Three Peaks and a scenic railway.

Yorkshire Dales National Park lies in the central Pennines of northern England, straddling North Yorkshire and Cumbria. Covering about 2,200 km², it is made up of more than twenty dales, including Swaledale, Wensleydale, Wharfedale, Ribblesdale and Malhamdale. This is Britain's classic limestone karst country: Malham Cove, Gordale Scar, limestone pavements, caves and potholes are everywhere, while the valley floors are a patchwork of pastures divided by dry-stone walls and dotted with stone field barns. The area breaks down into a few parts: in the south, Malham has the cove, the gorge and a waterfall circuit; in the west, Ribblesdale and Ingleton offer the Three Peaks (Pen-y-ghent, Ingleborough and Whernside), the Ribblehead Viaduct, the Ingleton Waterfalls Trail and show caves; in the centre, Wensleydale has Aysgarth Falls, Bolton Castle and the cheese creamery at Hawes; in the north, Swaledale is known for its wildflower meadows and the drive over the Buttertubs Pass; and the south-eastern gateway of Skipton and Bolton Abbey makes a good half-day trip. Getting there: take the train from Leeds to Skipton (about 40 minutes), or ride the Leeds–Settle–Carlisle line to Settle, Horton-in-Ribblesdale, Ribblehead and other stations and start walking straight from the platform. Buses within the Dales are infrequent, so driving gives the most flexibility, but country lanes are narrow and you'll need to give way to oncoming traffic. The best time to visit is May–Sep, with meadows in bloom in Jun–Jul and rich colours in autumn; in winter, hill roads may be icy and some sights close or shorten their hours. The weather is changeable, so bring a waterproof jacket and hiking boots even in summer. Allow 2–4 days, staying in Grassington, Hawes, Settle or Malham.

Top sights

• Malham Cove – A curved limestone cliff about 80 metres high, with a broad pavement of cracked limestone on top, a signature sight of the Yorkshire Dales.
• Aysgarth Falls – A series of three tiered waterfalls on the River Ure, linked by woodland paths and the most popular sight in Wensleydale.
• Ribblehead Viaduct – A 24-arch stone viaduct striding across the moor below Whernside, the most photogenic landmark on the Settle–Carlisle Railway.
• Bolton Abbey – A 12th-century priory ruin and estate on the River Wharfe, with meadows, stepping stones and woodland trails that suit a half-day outing.
• Ingleton Waterfalls Trail – A roughly 8 km circular trail following two wooded gorges past more than a dozen waterfalls, most famously the broad Thornton Force.
• Gordale Scar – A towering limestone gorge whose walls nearly meet, with a waterfall tumbling from the rock crevices into the valley floor: overwhelming in…
• Janet's Foss – A small waterfall hidden among the trees, flowing into a jade-green pool; legend says it is the home of Janet, queen of the fairies.
• Malham Tarn – One of England's highest lakes: a natural lake on a limestone plateau and a wetland nature reserve.
• The Strid – The River Wharfe is squeezed into a rock channel only a few metres wide; its current is fierce and its depths unknown, said to be the most…
• Skipton Castle – One of England's best-preserved medieval castles, with a yew tree in its inner courtyard said to be about 370 years old, in the market town…
• Wensleydale Creamery – The home of Wensleydale cheese, where you can watch the making process and sample many flavours, and the cheese favoured by Wallace & Gromi…
• Hardraw Force – England's tallest unbroken single-drop waterfall, at about 30 metres, hidden in a quiet ravine behind a country pub.
• Pen-y-ghent – A 694-metre hill shaped like a crouching lion, the easiest of the Yorkshire Three Peaks to summit, and a half-day round trip from Horton vi…
• Ingleborough – A flat-topped landmark at 723 metres, with Iron Age hill-fort remains on its summit and slopes riddled with caves and sinkholes.
• Whernside – Yorkshire's highest peak at 736 metres, with views of the Ribblehead Viaduct and the other Three Peaks along the way up.
• White Scar Cave – Britain's longest show cave, with guided tours through an underground waterfall, stalactites and the vast 'Battlefield Cavern'.
• Bolton Castle – A 14th-century square castle where Mary, Queen of Scots, was once imprisoned, with a medieval garden and maze in its grounds.
• Kilnsey Crag – A dramatic limestone cliff beside the Wharfedale road, whose huge overhang at the top makes it a famous British climbing venue.
• Grassington – A flagstone-paved village in Upper Wharfedale, the filming location of All Creatures Great and Small and a good base for exploring the Dale…
• Hawes & Dales Countryside Museum – A market town in upper Wensleydale, where a museum in a former railway station tells the story of farming, mining and daily life in the Dal…
• Settle–Carlisle Railway – One of Britain's most spectacular scenic railways, crossing Pennine moorland, viaducts and tunnels, and boarding at Settle station.
• Stump Cross Caverns – A cave discovered by 18th-century lead miners, where stalactite formations can be viewed on a self-guided tour and Ice Age animal bones, in…
• Brimham Rocks – Millstone grit rock formations on the moor, sculpted by wind and rain into strange shapes, that serve as a natural playground where childre…
• Buttertubs Pass – A high mountain road linking Wensleydale and Swaledale, with roadside limestone shafts called the 'Buttertubs', some 20 metres deep.
• Muker & Swaledale Meadows – A village of stone houses in upper Swaledale, where surrounding hay meadows and scattered stone barns create the Dales' most classic rural…
• Kisdon Force – Two stepped falls where the River Swale tumbles through a wooded gorge below the village of Keld, at the point where the Pennine Way and th…
• How Stean Gorge – A narrow limestone gorge in Nidderdale, crossed by footpaths and wire bridges, offering gorge-scrambling and climbing activities.
• Ingleborough Cave – A show cave beside the village of Clapham, with guided tours of mirror-like stalactite pools, and a walk on to Gaping Gill, a shaft about 9…
• Richmond Castle – An 11th-century Norman castle standing on a cliff above the River Swale, where the top of the keep offers views over Richmond town and the…
• Kirkby Lonsdale – A market town on the River Lune with 'Ruskin's View' and a medieval 'Devil's Bridge', on the western edge of the Dales.

Where to eat

• The Angel at Hetton – A one-Michelin-star, five-rosette AA restaurant in a 15th-century stone inn, widely regarded as a pioneer of the Britis…
• Tan Hill Inn – The highest pub in Britain at 528 metres, where hikers make a pilgrimage for a giant Yorkshire pudding on the moors.
• Blue Lion East Witton – A long-standing country inn at the mouth of Wensleydale, known for Wensleydale cheese soufflé and game dishes.
• The Black Bull Sedbergh – Japanese-German chef's cooking in a 17th-century coaching inn, considered one of Cumbria's most exciting restaurants.
• Rind – A wood-fired pizza spot in the courtyard cheese dairy of a famous shop, making pizzas with British artisan cheeses.
• Two Dales Bakery – A handmade bakery café in the village of Reeth, where sourdough and brunch are popular with walkers.

Itineraries

• Yorkshire Coast, Moors and Dales in – From York, cross the North York Moors to Whitby, then head west through the Dales and back.