Situated in the North of England, the Yorkshire Dales National Park is a designated “Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty”, which has on offer a fantastic landscape rich in flowers (many of which only grow in certain areas of Yorkshire) and wildlife. The National Park is easily reachable by all, and yet is maintained.  Of course, this is a tourist attraction and people come all the year round to visit the area.

People from other countries ask:  “What, exactly is a dale?”  In short, the word comes from a Nordic/Germanic word for valley, and is usually a river valley surrounded by hills.  It occurs in valley names across Yorkshire (and northern England generally).  The Yorkshire Dales National Park was created in 1954 and is now one of the 12 national parks of England and Wales.  In fact the title “Yorkshire Dales” doesn’t exist solely in connection with the National Park.  To the west of the Vale of York the dales are called The Yorkshire Dales, whilst to the east they are called the North York Moors.

We call our hills, moors, for they are covered with peat and you will find purple heather growing across them.  Many moors also have marshland, so watch where you walk.  If a fire starts on a moor, as it did on our  Ilkley Moor in July 2006, it is almost impossible to put it out, and our moor had thousands of acres of moorland destroyed.  This is a famous moor, known all over the world by the old song:  "On Ilkley Moor Bah'Tat" - which means?  Come on folk, tell us what does it mean and what is the story behind the song?  To continue with the fire:  Peat burns downwards, and as soon as the fire is put out on the top, it rises again from below and spreads sideways.  Peat is burned on fires because of its slow burning properties.  They tell us that it will take 20 years before  Ilkley Moor is restored to its former glory.

WHARFEDALE

The dale in which I live is called Wharfedale and it is one of the largest dales of the many Yorkshire Dales. A dale is named after the river which flows through it, so, naturally the River Wharfe flows through our dale and the celtic name “Wharfe” means twisting and winding.  I have also heard that it means “fast flowing” and both meanings are correct.  Fed by peat from the surrounding hills, the river is sensationally brown in the most picturesque way.  Gaze into the Wharfe on a sunny day and golds and ambers rise up to meet your eyes and you might be gazing into a cup of  clear tea.  It is so clean and pure.  My little Jack Russell terrier, Gemma, would turn her nose up at tap water, yet rush to the river’s edge to drink happily from the River Wharfe and she lived to be eighteen and a half years of age. 

The River Wharfe is roughly in the centre of the chain of hills called The Pennines.  Is it a dangerous river?  Yes, very dangerous, and the Wharfe has claimed many lives.  In recent years a honeymoon couple were swept to their deaths at the Strid, near to Bolton Abbey and their bodies were not found for many weeks as they were swept along the river for many miles. 

Wharfedale has a really special charm and has been called “The Queen of the Dales”.  The River Wharfe is the premier freestone or spate fly fishing river in the Yorkshire Dales and probably the most famous of all the rivers in the North of England.  The late Walter Flesher, naturalist and broadcaster,  said that the River Wharfe was the most beautiful river in England. 

I will further describe the surrounding countryside which makes the Yorkshire Dales unique as we continue our journey later.  Then I will lead you from the mouth of the Wharfe downstream.  Are you ready to come with me?  We will begin the journey in my next article as I don’t want to tire you on your first day.  I will do so if I get enough interest in such articles.  Josie