The Yorkshire Dales

A tranquil scene of snowdrops growing beside a small stream, protected by moss-covered dry stone walls.

There are many sheep farms.

Traditional farming landscapes of field barns and dry stone walls in the valley of Wensleydale. The landscape has been farmed for thousands of years.

The Yorkshire Dales is famous for its limestone scenery. The grey rock was formed from the shells and skeletons of billions of sea creatures, laid down millions of years ago in tropical oceans. Ancient glaciers moving over the landscape and then rainwater over thousands of years, produced the cracks (or grykes) of the landscape that exists today. In the distance is the Ribblehead Viaduct, built by 1000 navvies in Victorian times. It has 24 arches and is part of the Settle to Carlisle railway line.

A dilapidated building in the middle of the moors.

Dry stone walls are the largest man-made feature of the dales. There are approximately 5000 miles of them. They are ‘dry’ because there is no mortar holding them together.

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