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Nidderdale
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Brimham Rocks Nidderdale Yorkshire Dales

Area: The Dales
Region: Southern Dales
County: North Yorkshire
Useful Links:
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The Yorkshire Dales National Park Tourist Information


Full Description: Nidderdale is located in the Harrogate District of the Yorkshire Dales. The name Nidderdale is taken from the River Nidd which flows through the dale (valley). Nidderdale is many people’s favourite dale and is a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB). Nidderdale boasts some of Britain’s most spectacular scenery which has been carved by the weather and centuries of human activity. The area also features stunning moor land scenery and lush green meadows.

Nidderdale is bordered by the Yorkshire Dales National Park and several World Heritage Sites, including Fountains Abbey and Studley hall, which are considered as the finest Cistercian monastic ruins in Europe, are located just on the edge the Nidderdale region. Other attractions easily accessible from Nidderdale are the abbeys of Bolton and Jervaulx, Masham Brewery and Light water Valley Theme Park. Nidderdale is a mixture of unique ingredients so that whatever the season it has a timeless appeal. The local landscape has appeared in classic films such as Mel Gibson’s ‘Fairy Tale – a True Story’ and ‘Wuthering Heights’.

The Market Town of Pately Bridge is the capital of Nidderdale and can be found hiding amongst the patchwork of green meadows and dry stone walls. Visitors come from far and wide to see the beautiful landscape as well as visiting the many craft centres, pubs and tearooms which can also be found in the region. The Nidderdale Agricultural Show which is held every year in September and is one of Nidderdale’s largest attractions, with local traditions enthusiastically put on show to the visiting public. The Nidderdale Festival also takes place annually and not to be missed are the award wining Nidderdale Museum and Pately Playhouse the ‘Little Theatre of the Dales’. The local craft shops preserve the traditional talents of local potters, jewellers and glass blowers.

Lead Mining has been a traditional industry to the area of Pately Bridge for thousands of years. The beginning of the 19th Century saw the valley become dominated by agriculture and home production. Early settlements were just small hamlets and isolated farms, then the villages of Glasshouses and Summerbridge emerged which were built around the early mills. There are signs of quarrying up and down the valley, and the one surviving quarry at Coldstones provides limestone for the construction of today’s roads. Quarrying and rail transport came back into operation in the last two centuries, the purpose being to build dams to provide water for industry in Leeds and Bradford.

Nidderdale is popular with walkers, horse riders and mountain bikers, and also offers a variety of other leisure activities such as rock climbing; pot holing, water sports and fishing. There is arrange of accommodation for visitors to choose from, and the area also has numerous facilities for those who like camping and caravanning.

The Nidderdale Museum, which is a winner of the National Heritage Museum of the Year Award, gives a true and authentic guide to the early years in the Dales. The exhibition can be found in the original Victorian Workhouse, it features a collection of artefacts that represent the history of the Dales area.

Gouthwaite Reservoir is located at the head of Nidderdale; the River Nidd feeds this water sanctuary, having already flowed through Scar House and Angram Reservoir before flowing through Lofthouse and Ramsgill.

Stean Gorge in Upper Nidderdale is locally referred to as ‘Yorkshire’s Little Switzerland’ and plays a big part in the amazing scenery of the area, with a limestone cliff, almost 80ft deep in some parts. The area boasts walks, bridges, cafes, play areas and there is ample car parking for visitors. Middlesmoor lies at the head of the Dale.

Brimham Rocks is one of the most spectacular and awe-inspiring natural; attractions in England (see photograph), and is only a short distance from Pately Bridge. These rocks have been eroded by the weather to create fantastic forms, creating dramatic natural scenery. Brimham Rocks is now under the protection of The National Trust, and a shop and information centre have been opened close by.

Nidderdale is easily accessed by motorway and rail connections making and Leeds, York and Ripon are all easily accessible. Leeds/Bradford Airport and the ferry port of Hull provide excellent links to Europe.


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