Yorkshire Dales National Park Attractions

The name "Dales" comes from the Scandinavian word "Thal" and, in contrast to the word "Vale" used generally to mean valley, specifically refers to the boggy valleys fed by rivers flowing down from the Pennines.

The Yorkshire Dales cover an area of about 645sq.mi/1,670sq.km and rise to an average height of 600ft/183m, with individual summits of up to 2,000ft/610m. Common to all the dales is their scanty population, but each has its own particular character. Walking enthusiasts find here an area rich in variety. Ribblesdale is the most dramatic of the dales, with waterfalls and towering crags, interesting caves and large quarries. Swaledale is also wild in parts, with rugged gorges and jagged rocks. Wharfedale, particularly Upper Wharfedale, is a gentler valley of great beauty. Wensleydale, geologically called Yoredale, is wider, with waterfalls and areas of heath.

Lead was mined in the Yorkshire Dales in Roman times, and continued to be worked until the end of the 19th century when cheap imports made the mines uneconomic. The main economic resource is now agriculture, particularly livestock and cattle farming. There are also quarries producing some high-quality limestone, which is used for a variety of purposes.