Wensleydale

Map of Wensleydale (Opens in a new page).

Location: Pennine Region: North Yorkshire: Northern Dales.

Tributary Valleys: Coverdale, Bishopdale, Waldendale, Raydale, Widdale.

River: Ure

Principal Towns & Villages: Leyburn, Hawes, Aysgarth, Bainbridge, Middleham, Askrigg, Wensley, Castle Bolton, Hardraw.

Wensleydale lies between Wharfedale and Swaledale, and is a broad, sweeping valley of waterfalls, woodland, historic sites and traditional dales villages. The dale is often divided into the two regions of Upper Wensleydale and Lower Wensleydale, both of which overflow with natural features and visitor attractions.

In the past it has been know as both Yoredale and Uredale. Unlike most of the other Yorkshire Dales, Wensleydale takes its name from the village of Wensley rather than the name of its river, the Ure.

Local produce can be found in many of the shops throughout the dale, best known is Wensleydale Cheese, which is made from traditional recipes at the Wensleydale creamery Hawes, and the award winning real ales from the Wensleydale Brewery, these can be sampled in many of the dales pubs.

Worthy of a visit is the Wensleydale Show, a traditional Dales agricultural show held on August bank holiday every year close to the town of Leyburn. Along with classes for sheep and cattle there is also a wide variety of displays, attractions, and trade stands.

The Wensleydale railway was built in the 19th century and connected the East Coast main line at Northallerton with the Settle-Carlisle line at Garsdale, but closed to passengers during the 1960s. Today the Wensleydale Railway Association runs 1960s heritage diesel railcars along the 17 miles of restored track between Leeming Bar and Redmire on the edge of the Yorkshire Dales National Park, with stops at Bedale and Leyburn. Plans have been made to extend the railway westwards towards Aysgarth Falls, Hawes and Garsdale, to link Wensleydale once again with the Settle-Carlisle Railway.