The Yorkshire Dales (stone villages & waterfalls)
The Yorkshire Dales is one of England’s National Parks, and stretches into the neighbouring counties of Lancashire and Cumbria. It’s home to 100 species of nesting birds, 30 species of mammals, 25 species of butterflies, 1000 species of moth and a unique moss not found elsewhere. Here also lives the brown long-eared bat (his ears much longer than his body!)
The Dales has complex cave systems including Gaping Gill, which features the highest unbroken underground waterfall. Here you’ll also find the famed Settle-to-Carlisle Railway and its 24-arch Ribblehead Viaduct.
The word ‘dale’ is from the 12th century Old English/Norse ford for ‘valley’. Alas today over 20% of the 13,000 plus buildings in the National Park are holiday homes, which prices local people out of buying their own homes.
When out walking, always follow the Countryside Code to keep all creatures safe. Keep dogs away from steep banks, mushrooms (and toxic plants/trees) and on leads near birds, barnyard friends and wild ponies.
If you see a sheep on its back (due to pregnancy or rain-soaked wool), grab a handful of wool on the sheep’s side and gently roll it away from you (to right it back up (simple video). Then stay with it, until the sheep recovers and rain has drained off the wool. Sheep stomachs will ferment grass even when upside down, and this puts pressure on the lungs and heart, so they will die if nobody helps them get back upright.
