Wharfedale Cottages

Wharfedale cottages

In the upper valley of the river Wharfe, this scenic area of the Yorkshire Dales offers big views, beautiful walks and plenty of picturesque villages.

The landscape here is one of contrast, from the rugged limestone scars and the dramatic slopes and crags of the glacial valleys to the sweeping countryside criss-crossed by dry-stone walls, separating lush green fields from flowered meadows and woodland. Wharfedale, therefore, is perfect walking country, with the dale offering many scenic and unique routes to explore. The romantic ruins of Bolton Abbey offer a fantastic starting point for many of these gorgeous walks, as does the little village of Burnsall where you can walk through the dales to the surrounding pretty towns and villages. With all of this spectacular countryside to explore, Wharefedale really is the perfect place to blow out those cobwebs with a variety of fun-filled outdoor activies. In the heart of the dale is the Kilnsey Park Estate, famous for its fishing, which also offers pony trekking and cycling, and a farm where children will love petting pygmy goats, alpacas and Gloucester Old Spot piglets!

To experience the real Yorkshire Welcome the Dales are so famous for, pay a visit to the charming and characterful villages in Wharfedale. By the river you'll find the pretty village of Kettlewell with its quaint tea rooms, pub and annual scarecrow festival. The village is famous for its farming of Swaledale sheep, and much of the housing here was created for farmers and miners who worked at the mines in the hills just outside of the village. Due to it's picturesque looks, it's easy to see why tourism is now the main industry here and in 2003 the village was chosen to provid the backdrop for the village of Knapely in the smash hit Calendar Girls. Grassington is the main village in the dale (though is more like a small town!) and each year holds a packed calendar of events varying from its own Dickensian Festival, a week long festival with a traditional Christmas market and entertainment, the Grassington Festival in June, a 15 day event of music and arts with acts such as The Fratellis, Peter Hook and Smokie providing plenty of entertainment and a 1940s weekend. An easy walk from Grassington is the beautiful Linton Falls, Wharfedale's largest waterfall.