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                          Pen y Ghent  Pen_y_Ghent.gif (98017 bytes)    

The irresistible joys of walking in the Yorkshire Dales are hard to encompass in mere words, for each dale has its own individual character.  Vast open moorlands surround

Nr Park Gill Road_near_Park_Gill_Beck_YD.gif (44136 bytes)                              Ribblehead_Viaduct_YD.gif (91442 bytes) Ribblehead Viaduct

The valleys themselves have changed little in eons, each having its own attractive market town,  the warm glow of the local stone making every building appear more welcoming.  These are surrounded by the  colourful meadows of  the traditional 'Dales Farms'.  

hay meadow.gif (58194 bytes) Hay meadow

Known as the `Gateway to the Dales', Skipton's origins can be traced to the 7th century when Anglian farmers named it `Sheeptown'. The Normans built the first castle here in the 12th century, and established the markets and fairs which have carried on here ever since, in the wide cobbled market place.