All about... Pateley Bridge & Nidderdale

Pateley Bridge is a pretty dales town with an industrial history and a creative spirit.  Here are some of the most asked questions about Pateley Bridge by those planning a visit.

What is Pateley Bridge known for?

Pateley Bridge is known as a pretty town the North Yorkshire Dales with a flourishing High Street that boasts the oldest sweet shop in England among its many businesses.  The town is also the heart of the Nidderdale valley and surrounded by hills and woodland, with the River Nidd offering riverside walks.

Is Pateley Bridge a walkable town?

Yes, as a small dales town Pateley Bridge is perfect to explore on foot, and the town can be crossed in 10 to 15 minutes.  Those with mobility issues should be aware that the high street lies on a hill which while not steep is continuous from end to end.

Where does Pateley Bridge get its name?

There is a wonderful local story about the name meaning ‘The clearing where the badgers live’, which is sadly no longer thought to be true.

The name is now thought to come from the Norse/old English for ‘the woodland clearing or meadow (lēah) by the path (pæþ)’ with Bridge denoting a river crossing which would have originally been a ford.  The mention of a clearing reflects how the valley would once have been almost entirely wooded, making a path or track with a crossing a key point.

While the story of ‘Pate’ referring badger is no longer believed, the badger still appears on the town council’s logo.

What is Nidderdale known for?

Aside from the incredible landscape, woodlands and scenery, Nidderdale is known for its reservoirs, of which the most dramatic is Scar House Reservoir at the top for the valley.

Nidderdale is a popular landscape used in television and film, most recently various locations in the valley have been used for Channel 5’s All Creatures Great and Small.

For more information visit our Pateley Bridge & Nidderdale pages.