Nidderdale facts for kids
Nidderdale, sometimes called Netherdale long ago, is a beautiful valley in North Yorkshire, England. It's part of the wider area known as the Yorkshire Dales, even though it's not inside the official Yorkshire Dales National Park.
This valley is where the River Nidd begins its journey. The river flows south, even going underground for a bit! As it travels through the dale, it creates several large lakes called reservoirs, like the Gouthwaite Reservoir. Eventually, the River Nidd joins another river called the River Ouse.
The main town in Nidderdale is Pateley Bridge. Other small villages you can find here include Wath, Ramsgill, Lofthouse, and Middlesmoor (which are above Pateley Bridge). Below Pateley Bridge, you'll find places like Bewerley, Glasshouses, Summerbridge, Dacre, Darley, Birstwith, Hampsthwaite, and Kettlesing.
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Exploring Nidderdale: An Area of Natural Beauty
Nidderdale was named an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) in 1994. This means it's a special place with amazing landscapes and wildlife that needs to be protected. The AONB actually covers a much bigger area than just Nidderdale itself.
It includes parts of other valleys too, like lower Wharfedale, the Washburn valley, and even a bit of lower Wensleydale. You can also find historic places like Jervaulx Abbey within the AONB. The highest point in the Nidderdale AONB is Great Whernside, which is 704 metres (about 2,300 feet) high. It sits right on the edge of the Yorkshire Dales National Park.
The Nidderdale AONB website is a great resource. It offers ideas for fun activities like walking, canoeing, kayaking, caving, climbing, cycling, fishing, and horse riding. It's a perfect spot for outdoor adventures!
How Nidderdale is Governed
For a long time, Nidderdale was part of the West Riding of Yorkshire. Over the years, the way local areas were managed changed a lot. In the 1800s, most of the dale was part of the Pateley Bridge area for local services. Later, it became part of the Ripon and Pateley Bridge Rural District in 1937.
Since 1974, the whole Nidderdale area has been part of the Borough of Harrogate in North Yorkshire. This means that the local council for Harrogate helps manage services and decisions for Nidderdale.
Getting Around Nidderdale
Travel in Nidderdale has changed a lot over time. In 1849, a bus service called the Nidderdale Omnibus started running between Pateley Bridge and Ripley Station. Later, in 1862, a railway line called the Nidd Valley Railway opened, connecting Pateley Bridge to Harrogate. There was even a special Nidd Valley Light Railway that ran further up the dale between 1907 and 1937. However, the Pateley Bridge railway line closed in 1964.
Today, you can get around Nidderdale using buses run by the Harrogate Bus Company. The number 24 service goes regularly from Harrogate to Pateley Bridge. There are also DalesBus services that help people explore the wider Dales area.
If you're coming by train, the closest station is in Harrogate. For those traveling by car, major roads like the A1(M) and A61 are to the east, and the A65, A59, M65, and M62 are to the south.
Nidderdale on Screen
Nidderdale has even been featured in TV shows! The popular TV series All Creatures Great and Small (2020 TV series) was filmed mostly in the Yorkshire Dales. While many scenes were in the National Park, some parts of Nidderdale were also used. For example, important crossroads seen in the Christmas episode of the show are located on the roads above Pateley Bridge in Nidderdale.
