The Yorkshire Dales are situated in the northern, central area of England and extends along to the west right up to, and bordering the Lake District National Park to include parts of Cumbria and Lancashire. The park was opened In November 1954 and is the second largest in the UK at 841.3 sq mi / 2,179 square kilometres following the adjacent Lake District Park
The Dales are a popular destination for those seeking a holiday cottage, with generally lush green counrtyside rolling hills, also refered to as fells and and the vast areas of open country leading to peace and quiet, great wor wlakers and cyclists.
The geology of the yorkshire Dales is predominately Limestone which is important as it contributes greatley to the landscape helping form caves, and potholes, with Gaping Gill the most famouse. The Limestome also helps create surface features along with other factors such as Gordale Scar and Malham Cove, and these are poipular tourist attractions on there own right. Additionally the area is rich in waterfalls, again due to the errosionof limestoine and popular waterfalls include the Aysgarth Falls, and Hardraw Force which is reputed to be the UK'S highest single drop waterfall.
The numerous valleys within the park are referred to as Dales ( dating back to to the old english term of "Dael") and also named aftyer the river that flows through the valley, and popular the dales of Swaldale, Coverdale, and Wensleydale ( also known as a cheese region) are all poplular destinations for those seeking holiday cottages though there are so many other dales in the park just as beutiful.
Like its neighboring park, the North York Moors,art of the area has also adopted the name of "Herriot Country” after the books of James Herriot, the Yorkshire Vet, who was based aroound Thirsk between the two parks and the books of James Herriot, written by the vet James Alfred "Alf" Wight draw visitors in afrom all ove rthe UK and the world