The Yorkshire Dales (stone villages & waterfalls)
Yorkshire is a large county that spans north and west of England. It is home to two National Parks, historic seaside resorts, and many quirky towns and elegant cities.
The Yorkshire Dales is home to many stone-built villages and dramatic waterfalls, amid heather moorland that stretches into 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!)
If out walking, follow the Countryside Code to keep all creatures safe. Keep dogs on leads near steep banks (and away from toxic spring bulbs).
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, if they are on lower incomes than second home owners.
Grassington, Hawes and Malham
Grassington feels lively without losing its charm. Its square has cafés, small shops and a steady local feel, so it’s a good place to begin if you like to browse before a walk.
Hawes is more of a working market town. It has practical appeal, which helps. You can park, get lunch, pick up supplies and head out on foot without much fuss.
Malham, by contrast, is often a base rather than a linger-all-day village. People come for the famous limestone sights nearby, yet the village itself still has that compact Dales look, with stone houses, green spaces and a few useful places to stop.
Dry-stone walls, tea rooms and village greens
The best parts often aren’t the headline sights. They’re the little things you notice while walking between them. A row of stone barns set back in a field. A narrow bridge over a beck. A churchyard with worn paths and old yews.
Then there are the places that make you pause, tea rooms with steamed-up windows, a bakery with fresh scones, a pub that looks unchanged in the best way. In the Dales, these details don’t feel staged. They just belong.
The waterfalls that make the Yorkshire Dales unforgettable
Once you’ve had your fill of village lanes, the waterfalls shift the mood. The Dales can feel soft and quiet in one moment, then loud and forceful in the next. Water does that here.
Because limestone shapes so much of the landscape, rivers and becks often drop, spread and squeeze through rocky steps and wooded gaps. After wet weather, the effect is stronger. The sound carries further, and the falls look fuller.
Aysgarth Falls is impressive in every season
Aysgarth Falls is one of the most popular Yorkshire Dales waterfalls, and it’s easy to see why. This isn’t a single dramatic plunge. Instead, the river spreads over a series of broad limestone steps, which gives the whole place width and movement.
That stepped shape also makes the walk feel varied. You can move between upper, middle and lower sections, and each one has a slightly different look. Some parts feel open and bright. Others sit among trees and look almost hidden.
Janet’s Foss and Hardraw Force (two waterfall walks)
Janet’s Foss, near Malham, feels smaller and softer. The woodland path helps with that. You follow the beck, pass under trees and arrive at a neat curtain of water dropping into a pool. It has a storybook feel, especially on a still day, so families and casual walkers often enjoy it.
Hardraw Force offers the opposite mood. Near Hawes, it drops in one tall line inside a rocky gorge, and the setting adds drama. The walk is short, which makes it a strong option if you want a quick visit with a big payoff.
Walking the Wharfe: Ode to a Yorkshire River
Walking the Wharfe is by local boy Johno Ellison, who returns from living abroad to walk the entire length of the waterway where he grew up.
Retracing the steps of Victorian writer Edmund Bogg, he begins in the Vale of York, walking upstream to find Victorian spa towns and rare red kites that have returned, thanks to conservation initiatives.
He is seduced into wild swimming a chilly river (not the section notorious for reportedly drowning everyone who has ever tumbled into it). And seeks refuge in a candlelit pub, during a power blackout.
River Wharfe winds for 65 miles through the heart of Yorkshire. It begins in the village of Buckden, then flows through beautiful countryside, before joining the River Ouse.
The river is home to otters, kingfishers and herons, looking for fish. Rare wildflowers and mosses thrive on this river’s limestone edges.
Stay away from The Strid, a dangerous gorge where the river is forced through a gap of 12 feet. With underwater caverns, it has 100% mortality rate, for anyone who falls in. The water can rise 5 feet in minutes, and never increases in temperature, even in summer.
Yorkshire Hideaways (rent a holiday cottage)
There are many holiday cottage companies nationwide, and most let you filter for pet-friendly, child-friendly, disabled-friendly and more (by the sea, small or large properties).
Although they are quite expensive for one or two, for large families or groups, they work out affordable, as you can hire a big place and just pay per property, rather than per person. And discover some of our lovely places to stay, rather than go abroad.
Yorkshire Hideaways is for people who wish to visit this large county, whether it’s the outskirts of the big cities (York, Leeds, Harrogate, Sheffield) or the National Parks (Dales & Moors and parts of the Peak District).
The east coast is home to birds of prey soaring over cliffs, and marks the end of Alfred Wainright’s Coast-to-Coast walk (which starts in Cumbria and ends when you paddle your toes in the waters of Robin Hood’s Bay.
Inland you’ll find the quirky town of Hebden Bridge, but don’t visit this county for the sunshine! But in return you experience wild nature at its best, and wonderful walks (even in the urban cities).
There is a filter for cottages with enclosed gardens, though not all are dog-friendly.
Some cottages include a Starter Pack with tea, coffee, sugar and milk. So remember to let them know if you don’t require these (say you don’t drink dairy) to save on waste.
The site has plenty of ground floor & wheelchair-friendly cottages for elderly or disabled visitors, along with many ways to make your trip more affordable:
28-Night Holiday Cottage Stays
The 28 night stays are an innovative idea. At first glance, the prices look enormous (say £3000). But if you are a big family or group of friends, this works out as a very affordable way to take a long holiday, if you’re all a bit frazzled.
If you filter prices ‘low to high’, you’ll find beautiful holiday cottages that work out at £20 a person. This means a month’s holiday at a luxury cottage for £700 a month, which is around a typical cost of a rental home, let alone a holiday in the Yorkshire Dales!
Let’s take a couple of examples to inspire:
A 2-bedroom mews cottage with shared bathroom and beautiful kitchen with dining table. There is a private patio and shared communal walled garden (this one does not allow dogs), and a short stroll to the Yorkshire Moors and local pub.
A large dog-friendly farmhouse on the North York Moors with three double bedrooms (all looking over spectacular countryside). Again with country walks from your doorstep. Plus a conservatory and outdoor seating for six, in the lawned garden.
So you can see that with a little planning and maths, you can enjoy a month-long holiday that likely costs less than most ‘bargain break holidays’. A typical city hotel break in a hotel costs around £200 per room per night.
Why Rent a Holiday Cottage?
Often it’s nice to rent a self-catering accommodation for holidays, so you can then do ‘one big shop’ and not have to worry about living on expensive take-out and restaurant meals, during your holiday break!
Many holiday homes rent dog-friendly properties (you may wish to search for properties with enclosed gardens). If you are taking dogs on holiday, read our posts on:
- Following the Countryside Code
- Keeping Dogs Safe by the Seaside
- Finding Dog-Friendly Places
- How to give muddy dogs a bath!
- Pet-Safety Tips for Christmas
If you rent out holiday cottages, read about pet-friendly gardens to know plants to avoid for visitors with dogs. Also avoid facing indoor plants to outdoor gardens, to prevent birds flying into windows.
