Slow Travel: Yorkshire Dales

This new, thoroughly updated edition of the Yorkshire Dales, part of Bradt's series of distinctive 'Slow' guides to local UK regions, remains the most comprehensive guide to the area and covers the whole of the recently extended Yorkshire Dales National Park, Nidderdale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and some 'slow' and historic towns and villages just outside the boundaries. Each chapter covers, dale by dale, wildlife, folklore, history and local food and drink and suggests routes to follow to see the best of it all. Walking and cycling are included, as well as all the attractions and advice needed for a memorable visit. Written by an expert who has lived and worked in the area for over 30 years, the guide draws from his personal experiences as an outdoor enthusiast, naturalist and beer connoisseur. The Yorkshire Dales is famous internationally for its caves, scenic rivers, waterfalls and limestone flora but the lives and culture of the Dales folk that live here are just as fascinating. These days the area is also known for the Tour de Yorkshire, now firmly established as a hugely popular annual cycling event. Ease the pace and discover the delights of North Yorkshire's Pennines, where rivers from the limestone uplands have forged the dales that give the region its name. Drop in to the Tan Hill Inn, the highest pub in Britain where sheep regularly find their way in to warm themselves by the roaring fire; journey into the depths of Gaping Gill, one of the largest underground chambers in Britain; or take a scenic rail trip on the famous Settle-Carlisle line, crossing en route the longest railway viaduct in the country at Ribblehead. The Yorkshire Dales offer hundreds of square miles of open access land to explore, popular long-distance footpaths including the Pennine Way and Coast to Coast, renowned medieval castles such as Skipton and Richmond, quaint stone villages and an exceptionally rich wildlife particularly associated with clean rivers and limestone.