Nidderdale is in the eastern Dales and is an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Upper Nidderdale begins at the small market town of Pateley Bridge and is a narrow valley surrounded by large expanses of heather moorland. You can enjoy walking, mountain biking, pony trekking or fishing.
Nidderdale highlights
A series of reservoirs up the valley offer bracing walks along with interesting stories about their construction.Gouthwaite Reservoir is a great place for bird watching. Scar House Reservoir tucked high up in the hills offers great walking and mountain biking. The extensive high heather moors above the valley turn purple as they flower in late summer. The market town of Patelely Bridge is an excellent base to explore the area and has a full range of facilities plus a community-run museum and the fascinating King's Street craft workshops. The National Trust's Fountains Abbey is nearby as are Ripon Cathedral and Newby Hall.
Dramatic gorges and caves
At Lofthouse you can discover How Stean Gorge where you can explore the dramatic limestone gorge, go through caves, take on a via ferrata or just have a coffee and admire the view.
Cycle through history
The Way of the Roses cycle route passes through Pateley Bridge and then continues on to Brimham Rocks with its strange rock formations, and then to Fountains Abbey a stunning World Heritage Site.
South of Pateley Bridge, Nidderdale opens out and the scenery changes to rolling farmland as the river continues its journey past Ripley and Harrogate to Knaresborough.
