The Yorkshire Dales National Park is a wondrous place full to the brim of fantastic natural wonders and quaint little villages that are almost paused in time. Home to the three peaks challenge, its varied landscape offers some opportunities for fantastic views from some of the highest peaks in England. A place of wonderment and some of the unique and awe-inspiring walks. We highlighted some of the best Yorkshire Dales views that are out of this world and hard to beat.
But what makes up these fantastic Dales views? One thing that makes the Dales iconic is their dry stone walls, which help to add wonderful and interesting texture and depth. Whenever I try and capture the Dales, I always try and get a lovely dry stone wall in the foreground. They also add interest and a focus with the way they criss-cross across the Dales.
1. Ribblehead Viaduct
The iconic viaduct, built back in 1874 to carry passengers from Settle to Carlisle across a stretch of the Yorkshire Dales, creates a fantastic view that many photographers try to capture every day. Witnessing trains travel along the Ribblehead viaduct is a real treat, and possibly one of the best Yorkshire Dales views.
Located in the heart of the Yorkshire Dales National Park, Ribblehead Viaduct is one of Britain’s most impressive examples of Victorian railway engineering. Stretching around 400 metres across the remote moorlands, it’s an impressive sight with its graceful stone arches. If that wasn’t stunning enough, it’s surrounded by the dramatic peaks of Whernside, Ingleborough and Pen-y-ghent, offering one of the most breathtaking views in the Dales, especially when you catch a steam train crossing its arches. A real glimpse of the wild beauty and history that define the Yorkshire landscape in Ribblesdale.
2. Malham Cove
Located on the outskirts of the small village of Malham, Malham Cove is a great walk for all levels of fitness and offers far-reaching views from the top. Famous for being in Harry Potter, the unique character of the limestone rock formation, formed over 12,000 years ago by ancient glaciers and shaped over thousands of years by water erosion, makes it instantly recognisable and gives it a beautiful pattern. You can see the three peaks from the top of Malham Cove on a clear day, as well as the rolling hills of the Yorkshire Dales.
One of the most impressive landmarks in the Yorkshire Dales, the natural amphitheatre-like rock face sits 260 ft above the village of Malham. The deep fissures create a unique landscape and make it a favourite spot for photographers, geologists and tourists. Visitors are rewarded with breathtaking views across Malhamdale from what is not only a geological wonder but also one of the most awe-inspiring viewpoints in northern England.
Find out more here: The Breathtaking Yorkshire Location That’s Known For Featuring In Harry Potter
3. Simon’s Seat
Found on the popular Bolton Abbey estate, Simon’s Seat is one of the popular lower hills with walkers in the Yorkshire Dales. The gritstone-capped summit is only 485 metres high but has extensive views of the beautiful countryside surrounding it. The farmers’ fields and valley below create one of the most expansive and rewarding views in the region.
Sitting above the Wharfedale valley near the village of Appletreewick, and the stunning Bolton Abbey Estate. The Simon Seat walk takes in the likes of Bolton Abbey, Barden Bridge, winding through woodland, moorland and the hidden gem of Posforth Gill waterfall before heading up to the unique outcrop. From the top, you’re greeted with one of the best viewpoints in the Yorkshire Dales; the panorama stretches across the rolling dales, moors, and distant peaks, showcasing the wild beauty that defines this part of North Yorkshire.
Find out more here: The Yorkshire ‘Valley of Desolation’ Walk With Stunning Summit Views
4. Cautley Spout
Sitting at 198 metres high, Cautley Spout is England’s highest cascade waterfall. There is a beautiful walk to the summit of Calsder, which showcases some of the Yorkshire Dales’ most beautiful views. Now, it’s not strictly in Yorkshire as it was traditionally a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, but now makes up part of Cumbria – but we won’t talk about that.
If you’re looking to take a visit to the 200m tumbling waterfall, you’ve come to the right place. You’ll be able to experience some lush landscape as well as some beautiful views at the summit of Calsders and Lakeland fells whilst you make your way on this walk.
Find out more here. This Yorkshire Dales Waterfall Is The Highest Cascading Waterfall In England
5. Buttertubs Pass
Featured on the BBC, it is famously one of Jeremy Clarkson’s favourite strips of road. And, it’s easy to see why. The high winding road has some beautiful views of the Hawes area of the Yorkshire Dales and amazing 20-metre-deep limestone potholes, which create a dramatic impression on the landscape heading towards Thwaite and Muker. Buttertubs Pass offers some of the most dramatic and scenic mountain roads in the Dales.
Winding through the high moorland between Hawes and Thwaite in Swaledale, it reaches elevations of around 1,726 feet, offering sweeping views over the valleys, fells and untamed beauty of the northern Dales. Taking its name from the deep limestone potholes beside the road, where farmers are said to have once lowered butter into the cool depths to keep it fresh on hot days. It’s a unique landscape that showcases the varied views that the Yorkshire Dales has to offer.
Find out more here. This Famous Yorkshire Route Is One Of The Most Thrilling And Scenic Road Trips Ever
6. Beamsley Beacon
This gem on the edge of the Yorkshire Dales National Park near the beautiful village of Beamsley has some beautiful views of the Wharfedale area. The views from the upper reaches of the walk are really impressive and worth the wait when heading up. Beasley Beacon, also known as Howber Hill, offers some of the best views in the southern Yorkshire Dales.
Found near Bolton Abbey, it stands at around 1,289 view views across Wharfedale, Ilkley Moor and on a clear day Vale of York. Historically, the beacon was used as a chain of signal fires to warn of invasions, notably during the Spanish Armada. A much-loved walking destination now, the steady climb has a reward of panoramic views of rolling dales, patchwork farmland and moorland. Offering a piece of history as well as those views, it’s a real gem of the Dales.
7. Brimham Rocks
Carved over 400 million years ago, the Brimham Rocks National Park is a surreal landscape of giant, weathered rock formations that are like nature’s playground. High in the Nidderdale region, they offer fantastic views of the land below, and great fun whilst you explore the maze of rocks. A stone’s throw from Pateley Bridge in Nidderdale region, one of England’s National Landscapes, not strictly in the Dales, located west of the main National Park, it holds all the qualities that we associate with the Dales.
Sculpted over millions of years by wind, rain and glacial erosion, it offers far-reaching views across Nidderdale and on a clear day the moorland views stretch for miles. It’s extra special at sunset when the rocks glow with warm, golden hues.
Find out more here: The Weird & Wonderful Labyrinth Of Rocks In The Yorkshire Countryside
8. Pen-y-ghent
The smaller of the three peaks, Pen-y-ghent or Penyghent sits at 694m high. We think it is the most attractive of the fells due to its unique and more characteristic shape. From the top, you get some fantastic views of the countryside below, and it’s definitely a favourite. It’s said to be the most distinctive and instantly recognisable of the peaks with its stepped limestone and gritstone profile.
The most popular route up is from Horton-in-Ribblesdale, and once you’ve made it to the top, you can enjoy spectacular views stretching across Ribblesdale, Ingleborough and on a clear day the Lake District and Pendle Hill. It’s a great example of the Dales’ contrasting geology with limestone pavements, dry valleys and caves such as Hull Pot, which is one of the largest natural holes in England.
9. Scales Moor
En route to the summit of Whernside, Scales Moor is a lesser-known limestone formation much like Malham Cove. So people believe that the limestone pattern created over thousands of years is much better here than that of its counterpart at Malham. It offers some fantastic views and is a hidden gem that is seldom discussed in Yorkshire.
Found in the northern part of the Yorkshire Dales National Park, near Muker in Swaledale, you can enjoy Yorkshire Dales views at this quieter spot that’s less known than its more popular dales but offers up uninterrupted views of neighbouring dales like Arkengarthdale and other parts of the rugged beauty of the northern dales.
10. Ingleborough
The second-highest mountain of the Yorkshire Dales and one of the three peaks, it is often a firm favourite with walkers. It has some spectacular views from the top, and on clear days you can see to Morecambe Bay. It’s instantly recognisable due to its steep profile and sits at a massive 723 metres high. Known as one of the most striking peaks in the Dales.
The summit offers a breathtaking 360-degree view over Ribblesdale, Wensleydale and the surrounding Dales. Making it popular with hikers, photographers and climbers. A popular spot that rises to 2,372 feet, it really has some awe-inspiring scenery.
11. Whernside
The iconic Whernside, the highest of the three peaks, has some beautiful Yorkshire Dales views. It sits at 2,415 feet high and offers all-around views from the summit, where you can see Ribblehead Viaduct, Dentdale, Kingsdale and across to Morecambe Bay. It’s known for its steep slopes and rounded summit.
It offers some of the most rewarding panoramic views in the Dales, with sights of Ingleborough, Pen-y-ghent, and further afield on a clear day. The most popular route to the top is via Ribblehead, which passes the historic Ribblehead Viaduct. You get a dramatic landscape as well as heritage railways and wild, open moorland.
Fancy enjoying some of the best Yorkshire Dales views?
We hope our guide to the 11 best Yorkshire Dales views has inspired you to want to make a trip to one of our favourite parts of Yorkshire. If you want to learn more about the best things to do in the Yorkshire Dales, discover our archives, which have insightful guides to help build your itinerary.
If you want to go further afield and want to discover more about Yorkshire, then check out our travel section for information about our beautiful county.
Read More: 14 Of The Most Stunning Waterfalls In The Yorkshire Dales
