The Yorkshire Dales are divided into several major areas or dales:
- Malhamdale
- Upper and Lower Wensleydale
- Ribblesdale
- Upper and Lower Wharfedale
- Swaledale
There are various other dales or valleys such Nidderdale which is an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
Rivers or becks (streams) runs through the dales and often lend their name to that particular valley - the River Nidd flows through Nidderdale, the River Wharfe through Wharfedale.
Including the smaller lesser known dales, the list of Yorkshire Dales is:
Arkengarthdale
Barbondale
Birkdale
Bishopdale
Chapel-le-Dale
Clapdale
Coverdale
Deepdale
Dentdale
Garsdale
Kingsdale
Langstrothdale
Littondale
Malhamdale
Nidderdale
Raydale
Ribblesdale
Swaledale
Waldendale
Wensleydale
Wharfedale
The dales were originally formed by glaciers in the ice age which carved out these deep valleys and produced this beautiful landscape.