Things to Do in The Yorkshire Dales
Prices, opening hours, best times to visit and the stuff nobody tells you, everything you need for a first trip to the Yorkshire Dales, England, plus one pigeon's opinions on all of it.
The Yorkshire Dales has a limestone cliff taller than Niagara Falls that used to be an actual waterfall, a crumbly cheese famous enough to have its own claymation fan, and a fell-walking challenge that asks you to climb three mountains before lunch the next day. This is the proper guide to things to do in the Yorkshire Dales, what things actually cost, when to go, and which bits are worth the walk. Three main stops below, plus a quiz at the bottom to see if you were paying attention.
Malham Cove
I asked in the quiz what the huge curved cliff formed by an ancient waterfall is called, roughly the height of Niagara Falls and featured in a Harry Potter film, and it's Malham Cove, exactly as the quiz hint described. Standing around 260 feet high, it was carved by meltwater from glaciers more than 12,000 years ago, and the limestone pavement across its top, the same one where Harry and Hermione camp in Deathly Hallows Part 1, is a genuinely striking, almost lunar landscape once you're up there.
The walk up the steps beside the Cove is steep but short, and combining it with nearby Gordale Scar and Janet's Foss, a small waterfall and plunge pool in a hidden wooded gorge, makes for one of the best half-day walks in the Dales.
Getting there A short walk from Malham village
Wensleydale Cheese
The answer to the second quiz question: Wensleydale, named after the dale within the national park, is the crumbly cheese that originated with monks at a local abbey, famously the favourite cheese of a certain claymation character and his dog exactly as the quiz hint described, a nod to Wallace and Gromit. The Wensleydale Creamery in Hawes still makes it today, with tours showing the full production process followed by tasting, and a shop and café if you'd rather skip straight to sampling.
Hawes itself, sitting almost exactly halfway along the Pennine Way, is a good base for this end of the Dales, and the Dales Countryside Museum, housed in the town's former railway station, covers the wider history of farming, lead mining and rural life across the whole region.
Address Gayle Lane, Hawes DL8 3RN
Official site wensleydale.co.uk
The Yorkshire Three Peaks Challenge
I asked in the quiz what the Dales' famous fell-walking challenge involving three of the area's highest peaks is called, with walkers aiming to complete all three summits within 12 hours, and it's the Yorkshire Three Peaks Challenge, exactly as the quiz hint described, comprising Pen-y-Ghent, Whernside and Ingleborough across a roughly 24-mile round trip. It's a genuinely serious undertaking, popular with charity fundraisers as much as dedicated hillwalkers, and completing all three within the 12-hour window earns you a spot in the informal Three Peaks club, marked by various local pubs and cafés.
You don't need to attempt the full challenge to enjoy any one of the three peaks individually, Pen-y-Ghent in particular makes a good standalone half-day walk if the full 24 miles isn't for you.
Getting there Horton in Ribblesdale is the traditional starting point
Best time to visit The Yorkshire Dales
May to September gives the most reliable weather for Malham Cove and the Three Peaks Challenge, and it's when the Wensleydale Creamery keeps its fullest tour schedule. The Dales' famous Dark Sky Festival, held in winter, is worth planning around if stargazing interests you, one of the best dark-sky areas in England given how little light pollution reaches this far into the countryside.
Getting around The Yorkshire Dales
A car makes exploring the wider Yorkshire Dales considerably easier, Malham, Hawes and Horton in Ribblesdale, the base for the Three Peaks, are spread across a genuinely large national park. The Settle-Carlisle heritage rail line, taking in the dramatic Ribblehead Viaduct, is a scenic way to see part of the Dales without driving, and connects to several towns along its route.
Frequently asked questions
- Is the Yorkshire Dales worth visiting?
- Yes, particularly for Malham Cove's genuinely dramatic limestone scenery, a real Harry Potter filming location, alongside Wensleydale's cheese-making heritage and the serious challenge of the Yorkshire Three Peaks.
- How many days do you need in the Yorkshire Dales?
- A day covers Malham Cove and a walk through Gordale Scar comfortably. Two to three days lets you add the Wensleydale Creamery and properly attempt one or more of the Three Peaks without rushing.
- Is the Yorkshire Dales expensive?
- No, most of what makes the Dales worth visiting, Malham Cove, the wider walking trails, is free; the Wensleydale Creamery tour is a modest paid extra.
- What is the Yorkshire Dales famous for?
- Malham Cove, a huge curved limestone cliff formed by an ancient waterfall and featured in a Harry Potter film; Wensleydale cheese, originating with monks at a local abbey; and the Yorkshire Three Peaks Challenge, a 24-mile fell-walking test completed within 12 hours.
That's everything I've got.
A note before you plan around this: prices, opening hours, booking requirements and admission details in this guide were correct at the time of writing, but venues change these often and sometimes without notice. Always check directly with the attraction or its official website before you travel or build a schedule around a specific time or price.
Before travelling to any destination featured on this site, please also check your government's latest travel advice, as safety situations, entry requirements and travel warnings can change.
