Wharfedale and Area

But this is a Yorkshire dale of two landscapes. To the north, Upper Wharfedale is about high moors and more robust countryside, while Lower Wharfedale, beginning at the villages of Grassington and Threshfield, is very different. The land changes from high moor to a rich river valley with green and lush woodland - unusual in the Dales - with rocky outcrops. One of the most famous is Kilnsey Crag, near the village of Kilnsey. The dramatic overhanging limestone crag has long been a favourite with climbers.

On the hills above the River Wharfe, the remains of Iron Age and Bronze Age settlements and burial cairns can still be seen.

Passing between Grassington and Threshfield, the valley heads down to Burnsall, the waterfalls at The Strid and to the striking remains of beautiful Bolton Abbey.

Lower Wharfedale is a great place for nature lovers. The action of glaciers during the last Ice Age, plus hundreds of years of farming, have created many wildlife habitats. There are hillside streams, rocky limestone outcrops, grass meadows, bogs and dry-stone walls, all to be seen and enjoyed.