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Established in 1954, the Yorkshire Dales is one of fifteen national parks in Britain. It is largely located within the county of Yorkshire but does breach the border of Cumbria. Commonly referred to as 'The Dales', it is a vast collection of rivers and rolling hills that stretch out from the Vale of York in the south.
The word Dale comes from the Nordic word for valley. This is no surprise given York's huge association with the Viking and Nordic countries. The Dales are perhaps most notorious for the cave networks that lie underground. The wealth of limestone that exists under the ground allows for ample amounts of caving activities and underground exploration. The Gaping Gill System, Mossdale Caverns and Leck Fell Caves are just a few of the places where caving and tours around the respective underground systems can be enjoyed.
The architecture of houses in the Dales is very consistent being constructed from stone with a tiled roof. Visitor centres at Aysgarth Falls, Grassington, Hawes, Malham and Reeth give an insight into the history of the Dales and how it has transformed over the years.
There are a number of interesting places to visit within the National Park including Bolton Castle, Clapham Village and the small market town of Settle. The main visitor centre, Dales Countryside Museum, is housed at Wensleydale in the northern reaches of the park.
The 'Yorkshire Three Peaks' are also to be found within the park. The mountains of Ingleborough, Pen-y-Ghent and Whernside make up this collection of peaks which are often the subject of sporting events and charity challenges. They form a section of the Pennine Range and cast a daunting gaze over the Chapel-le-Dale and River Ribble.
The Yorkshire Dales National Park is a terrain dominated by limestone hills and rugged stone walls. It is a stereotype of how Yorkshire is perceived but it is one of the most beautiful areas of land in the world.
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