Nidderdale - a visitor's guide to the attractions
Nidderdale is the most Easterly of the Southern Dales, and is also the most unspoilt
and least commercialised.
The Yorkshire Dales National Park was created in 1954, and unaccountably the boundary
was drawn to exclude Nidderdale. Ever since that point Nidderdale has been a poor
relation to the rest of the Dales and has suffered economically and commercially.
The most casual glance at a map shows how bizarre this decision was, as Nidderdale
is clearly a part of the Dales, and is indeed one of the most beautiful. The reasons
for the decision are clouded in the mists of time, but it's generally believed that
it was done at the behest of Bradford Corporation who had designs to flood large
areas of the dale for the municipal water supply. Whatever the reasons, it's left
the dale with a unique character, being more of a working dale than any of the others.
In 1994, the situation was partially corrected by declaring the dale to be an Area
of Outstanding natural Beauty, a decision which is quite insulting as it gives it
inferior status to the rest of the Dales with less statutory protection.
As mentioned earlier, Nidderdale is the most Easterly of the Southern Dales,
which means that the "boundary" is extended to the east taking in the magnificent
Cistercian monastry of Fountains Abbey, a world heritage site and possibly the most
beautiful Abbey in England.
What to see in Nidderdale
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A magnificent Gorge in the depths of Upper Nidderdale, where kids can explore the gorge and
clamber through pitch black underground caves. There are walkways and bridges but it's
not really suitable for disabled access. At either end there are nice calm places where you can
sit at the water's edge and swim or paddle.
There is an entry fee, so take a picnic
and swimming kit and make a full day of it. If you don't want to picnic there's a nice cafe there.
And whatever you do, don't forget to take a torch.
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Acre after acre of oddly shaped rocks set on remote moorland - or at least it was
remote moorland before it became a major visitor attraction. The National Trust
have it nowadays, and have made it a little too twee for my liking, but it's undoubtedly better
than the mess it had become before they took over.
There's no charge for
entry, but there is a charge for car parking which is quite limited - so if you're going on a fine Suummer's
weekend, get there early. |
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The market town of Upper Nidderdale, and still serving its rural community. A delighful
collection of little shops, cafes, pubs and some excellent restaurants, and best
of all still unspoilt. Whatever you do be sure not to miss one of the very best pork pie shops in Yorkshire.
There's also
Nidderdale museum which is well worth a visit, and in July the utterly esoteric
Nidderdale Festival , while in September
Nidderdale Show concludes the season for Agricultural Shows. |
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This is either the best Abbey in England or the best garden ornament - take your pick. Fountains
is a huge ruined Cistercian Abbey, which was landscaped as part of the Studley Royal
estate in the late 18th Century, and is now set amongst the most beautiful Georgian
Water Gardens. Studley Royal burnt down long ago, but the grounds and the abbey
are magnificent. In the care of the National Trust nowadays who have done a great
job on restoring the gardens. |
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A miniature version of Stonehenge built as a folly around 1820. A nice place for
a picnic or to take in as part of a walk. Hard to find though. |
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A really nice walk on the moors above Nidderdale, taking in the weirdly shaped Jenny Twigg rocks. |
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Built in the 1930's as a memorial to the Leeds Pals who suffered apalling casualties on
the first day of The Somme. A salutory reminder to us all of the futility of war. |
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Knaresborough
A magnificent mediaeval town set on the banks of the Nidd. Had one of the finest
Royal castles in the North which is largely ruined nowadays, but worth visiting
as the sally port(yes you can go down it) must be the best surviving example in the UK. There's boating
on the Nidd, Old Mother Shipton's Cave, houses cut into the rock, a small museum
alongside the castle, nice walks along the river and a market every Wednesday. And who can
forget the magnificent crennelated railway viaduct, but sadly
the wonderful little zoo run by Nick Nyoka is now long gone. |
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Stump Cross Caverns
This show Cave is open to the public set on top of the moors between Nidderdale and Wharfedale.
There is an entry charge, but the caves are suitable for even smallish kids. The cafe is quite
nice, and it's next to the starting point for several great walks.
In winter it only opens on weekends, but the rest of the year it's open every day. |