Dales
- Areas
- Dales
Encompassing the magnificent Yorkshire Dales National Park, the wonderous Nidderdale National Landscape and part of the Forest of Bowland, the Dales area of North Yorkshire is an adventurer's paradise.
Here you will find wide open spaces, miles of walking and cycling routes, unique character and vastly changing landscapes; from wild and windswept to quiet and tranquil, with valleys full of hay meadows, patterns of drystone walls and barns, as well as internationally important landscapes. Ancient droving routes, country lanes, and bridleways can be explored on foot, bike or even four hooves!
This living working landscape is not just a patchwork of different landscapes but has communities, traditions and character at its heart. There are pretty villages and market towns where you can enjoy independent shops, cafes, pubs and restaurants. Visit historic towns like Grassington, Reeth, and Hawes to explore ruins, museums, and local traditions, or follow the magical waterfall trail in Ingleton, one of the beautiful Three Peaks Villages.
Rich in history, the area boasts castles, abbey ruins, and towns like Skipton, where you can discover a medieval castle, canal, and caves.
The Nidderdale National Landscape is carved by river valleys, blanketed with moorland and nature-filled woodland. In the heart of Nidderdale is Pateley Bridge where you can discover rich local histories and a vibrant dining and shopping scene including Britain’s Oldest Sweet Shop.
Settle, a traditional market town at the foot of the Pennines, is an excellent base for walkers, and can be reached via the iconic Settle to Carlisle rail route, famous for its scenic views and Ribblehead Viaduct.
There’s more rural paradise to discover in the Forest of Bowland, with its wild moorland beauty, medieval heritage and vast array of birdlife.
This area is known for its Dark Skies with the Yorkshire Dales National Park an International Dark Sky reserve with some of the best dark skies in the country, annual Dark Sky festivals include events with expert astronomers and activities like night-time fell running, astro-photography and canoeing in the dark!
And don’t leave without trying the local produce – the annual Cheese Festival celebrates amazing Dales cheese and local produce. There are many small independent cheese makers producing cheeses in the old-fashioned way from traditional recipes, find these gems through the region’s many outlets, farm shops, and local iconic makers.
Discover the Dales on our map

Places in the Dales
Visiting Pateley Bridge
Useful information if you are thinking of visiting Pateley Bridge Useful information if you are thinking of…
Settle
Settle is a bustling, traditional market town in the Yorkshire Dales, surrounded by fabulous… Settle is a bustling, traditional market town in…
Masham
The home of beer in the Yorkshire Dales The home of beer in the Yorkshire Dales
Reeth & Swaledale
The pretty Yorkshire Dales village of Reeth is set around a spacious green and is the perfect place… The pretty Yorkshire Dales village of Reeth is…
Festivals in the Dales
Head to Swalefale for the UK's biggest festival of mountain bike riding… Head to Swalefale for the UK's biggest festival of mountain bike riding and the toughest Enduro stages you will find on these shores, explore the…
Following previous years of a very enjoyable and successful festival,… Following previous years of a very enjoyable and successful festival, Keighley & Craven CAMRA (Campaign for Real Ale) is delighted to announce…
Since 2016's inaugural event, the North Yorkshire collaboration has become… Since 2016's inaugural event, the North Yorkshire collaboration has become an unmissable fixture in the calendar, with the North York Moors and…
Featured Stories & Inspiration about the Dales
Take time out this summer and escape to the breathtaking gardens and… Take time out this summer and escape to the breathtaking gardens and outdoor spaces of the Yorkshire Dales and surrounding areas
North Yorkshire’s dramatic moors and valleys take centre stage in the 2026… North Yorkshire’s dramatic moors and valleys take centre stage in the 2026 adaptation of Emily Brontë's Wuthering Heights. Explore the real locations that shaped the film’s most powerful scenes that…