If you travel up toward Northern England you will find a place full of rolling hills and river valleys known as Yorkshire Dales. The simple rugged beauty of this place is for any traveler to die for. The name dale actually comes from Nordic/Germanic meaning valley, and the name Yorkshire Dales actually refers to the dales west of the Vale Of York and west of the West Yorkshire Urban area. The green upland pastures that are separated by dry-stone walls and are accented by the simple animals of sheep and cattle is the basic characteristic of the scenery in Yorkshire Dales. The U and V shaped valleys were all enlarged and shaped by the glaciers of the most recent ice age, The Devensian Ice Age.
It’s interesting to note that most of the dales are named after their respective river or stream. One of its most famous dales in the Yorkshire Dales area is Wensleydale. Wensleydale is known for its cheese production done by the Wensleydale Creamery. A tour of this factory can be taken and tourists would be able to sample their finest cheese produced there and even take it back to their home as a great souvenir or gift.
North Yorkshire is the home to the Yorkshire Dales National Park. Over 20,000 people live and work on the park itself and is a hotspot for tourists from around the world attracting over 8 million tourists every year to the Yorkshire Dales National Park. The long paths and routes that are available make this area very attracting to exercise enthusiasts especially cycling. Between the Pennine Way, The Dales Way And the Coast To Coast Path walking, jogging and cyclers from around the globe can be a part of the sport activities Yorkshire Dales National Park offers. The Park also has its own museum called the Dales Country side Museum with 5 visitor locations at Hawes, Reeth, Malham, Grassington, and Aysgarth Falls.