This volume covers the northern corners of the Dales: the Howgills, Mallerstang, and the catchments of the rivers Swale, Ure and Nidd, the three coming together in the Vale of York as tributaries of Yorkshire’s greatest river, the Ouse. The Howgill Fells apart, the overall character of the area is determined by the Yoredale Series of rocks, whose layered strata of limestones, shales and sandstones foster an immense variety in both the wider topography and the diversity of vegetation. In traversing the valley sides, the different rocks and soil are reflected in the flowers, woodland and blanket bogs, as well as in the features of the landscape – outcropping scars, waterfalls, ravine-like valleys and shake holes and caves.
Mallerstang is the only valley oriented to the north, and although intimately connected in both geography and character to the Dales, like part of the Howgill Fells and Nidderdale, lies outside the national park boundary. This straight, drawn-out valley guides the infant River Eden from its source high on Lunds Fell, hardly a stone’s thrown from that of the River Ure, which runs off in completely the opposite direction. The long line of hills on either flank offers splendid, if energetic, ridge walking, and although the base of the valley is traversed by both railway and road, it engenders a distinct feeling of remoteness. Apart from The Moorcock, which in any case lies over the watershed at the head of Wensleydale, it has no pub, and as far down as Nateby, just outside Kirkby Stephen, the only habitation to be found is in a scattering of small farmsteads.
That same rugged beauty and sense of isolation is shared by the upper reaches of Swaledale, whose tributary valleys splay out to probe the bare moorland openness of the Pennines. Lower down, a string of tiny villages all trace their origins to the wave of Norse settlement in the ninth and tenth centuries, interspersed with an almost continuous string of farmsteads. The flanking hillsides are richly veined with seams of lead ore, some of which were possibly worked during the Roman period. But it was during the industrialisation of the rest of the country that the industry peaked, and hardly any worthwhile deposit was left untapped. In consequence, there are few places where you cannot find evidence of this exploitation, but strangely this only adds another dimension to the appeal of exploring the area.
Semer Water in winter, Addlebrough in the background (Walk 33)
Until it was dismantled in 1964, Wensleydale too had its railway, which ran all the way to Garsdale Head, where it connected with the Settle–Carlisle line. Although it remained in existence for less than a century, the railway was a boon to both farming and a small textile industry by providing a ready conduit for export, as well as opening the valley to the early tourism of the Victorians.
But even before that, Wensleydale had a major thoroughfare in the form of the Richmond–Lancaster turnpike, and for this reason of all the dales it is the only one to have a market town of any size in its higher reaches. In appearance too Wensleydale is different to the other dales, being broad and flat-bottomed for much of its length, where its pastures supported a much richer farming industry than was possible in the other dales. There was mining for both lead and coal as well as quarrying for stone, but these were scattered in small pockets, bringing diversity of occupation rather than the focus of an all-consuming enterprise.
Nidderdale is the one major valley that no longer has a through road, although in earlier days strings of mules and pack-horses crossed the bleak moorland pass into Coverdale. Nidderdale’s exclusion from the Yorkshire Dales National Park appears to have been because of the chain of reservoirs built to supply the expanding population of Bradford, but although something was undoubtedly lost in the flooding, few would strenuously argue that the lakes do not now bring another element of loveliness to its upper corners. With limestone gorges at its heart, stretches of luxuriant woodland beside the river, and overlooked by the striking formations of Brimham Rocks, it displays some of the greatest diversity in the whole of the Dales.
The Howgills, quite literally, stand apart from all else, a great mass of green hill rising abruptly from the deep valleys that separate them from the neighbouring high ground. The uncompromisingly steep buttressing flanks are undoubtedly a deterrent to their greater popularity, but the effort of getting to the tops is rewarded by superb panoramas and long, undulating walks on broad grassy ridges.
THE YORKSHIRE DALES NATIONAL PARK
Centred on the core of this unique area is the Yorkshire Dales National Park, created in 1954 and the seventh of the UK's national parks. The then omission of Nidderdale, Mallerstang, the Howgills and the western outlying hills was heavily criticised, for although beyond the bounds of Yorkshire, they are geologically and geographically connected and equally deserving of protection. Forty years were to pass before Nidderdale was finally designated an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), but it was not until August 2016 that the national park's boundaries were extended to encompass the remaining areas.
The additional areas increased the park's size by almost a quarter to 2178km² (841 square miles) to make it the country's third largest, with the Nidderdale AONB adding a further 600km² (233 square miles). Somewhat less than half of this is actively managed as agricultural land, while the rest consists largely of open country and moorland. Historic land use, geography and climate mitigate against extensive areas of woodland, and little more than 3% is covered by trees, the largest single area being the coniferous plantations encircling the higher reaches of Langstrothdale.
Because of the geology, extensive bodies of water are also notable by their absence, and in fact only two natural lakes of significance occur in the whole of the Dales – Malham Tarn and Semer Water. However, the gritstone valleys in the south and east harbour a number of man-made reservoirs, built to sustain the industrial towns of West Yorkshire.
The park's resident population is around 20,000 – less than 30 people per square mile. But this figure is swelled by an estimated 3.3 million a day, and half a million overnight visitors each year, increasing the resident population by, on average, almost a half. And while most people live in one of the three small towns lying wholly within its boundaries – Sedbergh, Hawes and Grassington – few of even the remotest dales are totally devoid of habitation. Picturesque villages and hamlets are scattered along the major valleys, with small steadings to be found everywhere, right up into the highest reaches. This all might seem like rather a lot of people, but wander away from the main centres, even on a bank holiday weekend, and you can spend a day on the tops with hardly a soul about.
Distinctive signs mark the boundary of the national park (Walk 8)
The national park takes the Swaledale as its emblem (Walk 30)
Almost all of today’s roads follow ancient lines of travel, as do many of the paths and tracks that lie away from the tarmac. There are few main roads, however, and the majority of the narrow lanes are relatively traffic free and a delight to walk, cycle or ride. In addition, there are in excess of 3200km (2000 miles) of designated footpaths, bridleways and tracks, which contour the dales, climb the intervening hills and criss-cross the open moors. And, following the implementation of the CROW Act in 2000, around 1087km² (about 420 square miles), including the majority of the upland area, is now designated open access land.
Much of the countryside encompassed within the legislation is upland moor and heath, and is identified on OS Explorer maps by peach-coloured (open land) and light-green (woodland) tints. Access points on the ground are usually identified by a circular brown-and-white symbol of a walking figure. Within these areas you have a right to wander (but not cycle), even where there is no path, but there are responsibilities too. These are generally common sense, such as following the Countryside Code (see www.openaccess.gov.uk) and being careful not to cause damage. Dogs are sometimes permitted too, but should be on a close lead near livestock and during the bird-breeding season (1 March to 31 July). However, on many of the grouse moors dogs are not allowed at any time other than on designated public footpaths. Landowners are entitled to suspend or