Yorkshire Dales

The Yorkshire Dales lie in an area of high ground in North and West Yorkshire, England.

Related Topics:
Yorkshire - England

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Although many valleys all over Yorkshire are called "(name of river)+dale", such as Airedale or Calderdale, the Yorkshire Dales are usually deemed to be those valleys north of the Wharfe. (One exception to the naming rule is Arkengarthdale which was formed by Arkle Beck.)

Related Topics:
Valley - Dale - Airedale - Calderdale - Wharfe

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The characteristic scenery is green upland pastures separated by dry-stone walls and grazed by sheep and cattle. The dales themselves are 'U' and 'V' shaped valleys, which were enlarged and shaped by glaciers, mainly in the most recent, Devensian ice age. The underlying rock is principally Carboniferous limestone (which results in a number of areas of limestone pavement) in places interspersed with shale and sandstone and topped with millstone grit. However, to the north of the Dent fault, the hills are principally older Silurian and Ordovician rocks, which make up the Howgill Fells.

Related Topics:
Dry-stone wall - Sheep - Cattle - Dale - Glaciers - Devensian - Ice age - Carboniferous - Limestone - Limestone pavement - Shale - Sandstone - Millstone grit - Silurian - Ordovician - Howgill Fells

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The moors above are covered with heather and famed for grouse shooting in the months following August 12 each year (the 'Glorious Twelfth'). See Yorkshire Wolds.

Related Topics:
Moor - Heather - Grouse - August 12 - Yorkshire Wolds

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

James Herriot's veterinary books are set in the Dales, as is the TV soap opera Emmerdale.

Related Topics:
James Herriot - Soap opera - Emmerdale

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The acclaimed American travel writer Bill Bryson lived in and is an admirer of the Yorkshire Dales. He describes the dales in his book on Britain, Notes from a Small Island.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~