Tracks and Trails

Walking in Yorkshire

South Dales

The south part of the Yorkshire Dales is Wharfedale, Malhamdale, Wensleydale and Airedale. These dales contain hay meadows, smaller hills, drystone walls and field barns, and welcoming old stone villages such as Burnsall, Buckden and Kettlewell. There are plenty of different mountain terrains and paths for walkers to tackle. Wharfedale starts at the high moors of Langstrothdale Chase and passes down the remote valley of Langstrothdale to the village of Buckden at the head of Wharfedale. A popular
walk for walkers in the area is Buckden Pike at over 1,400 meters high.

In Malhamdale, attractions for walkers include Malham Cove and Tarn, Janet Foss and Goresdale Scar. These provide walkers with some of most beautiful and unspoiled limestone features found anywhere in Britain, for the walker to explore and enjoy. Walks in these areas tend to be less strenuous compared to the North Dales due to the hills being smaller. Thus the area will be more suitable for walkers who have families or have younger children with them.
In contrast, Wensleydale provides an a different type of dale, with its broad valley and astring of beautiful stone-built villages, makes Wensleydale a favourite of many walkers. For walkers, Aysgarth Falls, Castle Bolton, Hardraw Force, Hell Gill and the interesting market town of Hawes, are all worth a visit as part of any walk.

Areas in South Dales

Malham : Skipton : Grassington : IIkley :

Malham

Malham is a small dales village in what is known as Malhamdale. Located north of Skipton, Malham is the inspiration for Charles Kingsley's classic children's novel, The Water Babies. But Malham most famous feature and attraction is not Malham village itself but just outside. Malham contains some of the finest and spectacular limestone scenery in the United Kingdom. Malham Cove, Malham Tarn, Water Sinks and the Dry Valley of the Watlowes, Gordale Scar and Janet's Foss, as well as the village of Malham itself are places to visit and enjoy. Mentioned in the Doomsday book as 'Malgun', Malham has been a settlement for at least a thousand years. Traces of Iron age boundaries are still visible today in the area. One hundred years ago, Malham was a place of mills and mines. Today, hill farms and tourism are the main activities in the area.
Back to the Top

Skipton

Skipton is a large market town in the south-western part of the Dales. This market town boosts an impressive castle and has traded in limestone, fertiliser, clothes and food throughout its long and impressive history. Cotton-spinning has also been dominated industry in the town since the 18th century. Every Monday, Skipton has a cattle market. Commercially, Skipton is home to the Craven District council, a gateway to the Yorkshire Dales National Park. The Leeds-Liverpool canal also passes through Skipton making an ideal place for a picnic.
Back to the Top

Grassington

Located in Wharfedale, Grassington is a lovely large village with plenty of shops, pubs and restaurants. It even has a National Park Visitor center to keep you entertained. Historically, Grassington pre-dates the Normanan Conquest and was granted a charter in 1282 enabling it to hold a weekly market and annual fair, which still held today. In the nineteenth century its agricultural base was supplemented by lead mining (since abandoned) and water-powered corn mills though these too closed after the development of large-scale steam power elsewhere. Today, it is built round a cobbled market square, which of course isn’t square at all, and which is fringed with a variety of buildings. For example, the seventeenth century Church House, eighteenth century Grassington House with tall sash windows, the Black Horse coaching inn and the Devonshire Arms together with houses, cottages and shops of different type and age.
Back to the Top

Ilkley

Known as ‘Olicana,’ Ilkley is the largest the town per population in the Yorkshire Dales. Built by the Romans, Ilkley is the mixture of tree-lined avenues, with stoned and brick houses and buildings and roads. Dominated above Ilkley is the famous Ilkey Moor which provides an impressive back-drop to this large town located in the deep south of the Yorkshire Dales.
Back to the Top

Walking in Yorkshire: An Introduction | Walking in Yorkshire | The Yorkshire Dales | North Dales | Favourite Yorkshire Dales Walks- Wensleydale | Favourite Yorkshire Dales Walks- Swaledale | South Dales | Favourite Yorkshire Dales Walks- Wharfedale | East Dales | Heriot Country | Favourite Yorkshire Dales Walks- Nidderdale | West Dales | Favourite Yorkshire Dales Walks- Dentdale and the Howgills | Yorkshire Coastline | West and East Yorkshire | Favourite Walks in the Yorkshire Pennines | More favourite walks in the Yorkshire Pennines | North Yorkshire Moors | Favourite Walks in the North Yorkshire Moors | More favourite walks in the North Yorkshire Moors | Hope Cove Walk

© 2008 Designed & Hosted by Bronco Internet, Ripon |