Her Master's Walks in Swaledale

Swaledale lies on the northern border of the Yorkshire Dales National Park, its outstanding scenery and secluded grandeur make it one of the most picturesque landscapes in England. The dale has managed to retain a peaceful and unchanged outlook, helped by having only one major road passing through it (the B6270). Above Keld this is little more than a single track road in some places.

Alfred 'Alf' Wight, better known by the pen name James Herriot, once described Swaledale as, 'The most beautiful part of England'. It inspired him to write All Creatures Great and Small and other titles. The books were adapted for film and a long-running BBC television series which were filmed in the local area.

Swaledale is now reserved mainly for sheep farming, but during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries it was devastated by the lead mining industry. Fortunately, its remoteness has helped to stave off many of the threats posed by twentieth-century and modern day developments. The small villages and narrow roads still make it much more accessible to walkers rather than motorists. This 'special dale' with its unrivalled scenery and secluded grandeur is a haven for the sincere walker.

Each walk has a two page description, a colour map with numbered arrow pointers and route directions with grid references to aid map reading. All of the walks follow circular routes ranging from 5.5 to 10.5 miles (8.8 to 16.9km).