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The Yorkshire Dales - "dales" from the Viking word dalr (valley) - form a lovely and varied upland area of limestone hills and pastoral valleys at the heart of the Pennines, wedged between the Lake District to the west and the North York Moors to the east. Protected as a National Park , the region is crisscrossed by several long-distance footpaths; there's a specially designated circular cycle way, and a host of centres are geared up for caving and other more specialist pursuits. Most approaches are from the south, via the superbly engineered Settle to Carlisle Railway , or along the main A65 road from towns such as Skipton, Settle and Ingleton . This makes southern dales like Wharfedale the most visited, while neighbouring Malhamdale is also immensely popular, thanks to the fascinating scenery squeezed into its narrow confines around Malham village. Ribblesdale , approached from Settle, is more sombre, its villages in demand from hikers intent on tackling the Dales' famous Three Peaks - the mountains of Pen-y-ghent, Ingleborough and Whernside. To the northwest lies the more remote Dentdale , one of the least known but most beautiful of the valleys. Moving north, there are two parallel dales, Wensleydale and Swaledale , both flowing east, with Swaledale's lower stretches encompassing the appealing historic town of Richmond . Public transport throughout the Dales is surprisingly good. Pick up the free Dales Explorer bus timetable (published twice a year), available from tourist offices and from the various National Park information centres . There are main centres at Grassington, Aysgarth Falls, Malham, Reeth, Hawes and Clapham, as well as numerous information points in shops, post offices and cafes throughout the region. In addition to the Dales' youth hostels there's a series of bunkhouse barns - basic self-catering accommodation for around GBP7 a night per person; camping barns are usually more rudimentary versions. Hikers will need the OS Outdoor Leisure maps #2, #10 and #30. The Pennine Way cuts right through the heart of the Dales, and the region is crossed by the Coast-to-Coast Walk, but the principal local route is the Dales Way , an 84-mile footpath from Ilkley to Bowness in the Lake District, which takes around a week to walk.
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