Grassington, England - If it were not for the odd cow on the horizon, visitors to this remote part of northern England might feel marooned among the thousands of sheep. It is silent here too, apart from the almost indignant "baaing" of these fluffy wool donors. A latticework of drystone walls like silvery grey veins divides up the "dales," as the lush, green valleys of this upland landscape are known, and it is not hard to see why English author JRR Tolkien found inspiration hereabouts for his Lord of the Rings trilogy. A few elves and dwarfs or even a hobbit would not seem out of place.
This is the Yorkshire Dales National Park, 180 square kilometres of protected landscape which provides some of the best scenic walking throughout of the British Isles.
"To make sure nature stays the way it is, people who come here should opt for environmentally-friendly holidays, leave the car in the car park and set off on foot or on a bicycle," said Andy Ryland who works for the Yorkshire Dales park authority.
Together with his colleagues, Ryland has devised an integrated concept for tourism which combines local transport operators, councils, businesses, pubs and restaurants. Holders of a valid bus or train ticket benefit from discounts at many local shops and hostelries.
Those who want to reduce their carbon footprint can opt at the outset for the most ecologically-sound way to reach this part of England and take a ferry instead of a plane. From continental Europe, one of the best connections is from Zeebrugge in Belgium to Hull on the East Yorkshire coast. From here there are regular train services to York or Skipton and onto Grassington which lies in the heart of the Dales.
The journey may not be quite as comfortable as hopping on a jet plane but this form of slow-travel is the ideal way to get into the mood for the tranquillity of the Dales. A hike along the many paths which straddle the Pennine mountain range is also a fine way to discover the beauty spots of this region which is characterized by bizarre limestone outcrops, some of which tower over the landscape like at Malham Cove with its 80-metre tall cliffs.
On the high plateau, the limestone blocks remind visitors of pathstones thrown down by the giants of yore. Flowers grow in the cracks between them, bending their stalks with the wind which has eroded these formations over millions of years.
The limestone escarpment attracts numerous climbers but one of the best ways to explore the hilly dales is from the saddle of a mountain bike. "You can storm down the slopes here and work up a real sweat or just take it easy and just let the wind blow through your hair," said Stuart Price who organises tours with the all-terrain bicycles for dales' visitors.
One of the less strenuous routes leads from Grassington along a tarmac road towards Kettlewell, a quaint village of stone cottages which seems to have sprung from the pages of a British Tourist Board brochure. It was used to shoot scenes in the 2003 film comedy Calendar Girls which is about a group of Yorkshire women who produce a nude calender in order to raise money for leukemia research.
Those who want to enjoy the landscape without getting their feet wet are well-advised to visit the dales in the summer months although the creature comforts offered hereabouts can make for a cosy trip out of season too. There is a wide choice of pubs with open hearth fires and traditional tea rooms with local specialities such as scones and toasted teacakes on the menu.
The most ecologically-sound pubs are those with a microbrewery next door. The ale in The Queens Arms in Litton comes from the same premises. "Tax breaks encourage landlords to brew their own beer and a growing number of them are doing just that," said Ryland.
A culinary highlight of the region is Limestone Beef, a dish which uses the meat of the native Galloway cattle. These robust animals graze peacefully on Yorkshire meadows. "That's what we mean by natural rearing which is certainly a long way from factory farming," said farmer Tom Boothman.
Boothman's business was slow to recover after his entire herd had to be destroyed in an epidemic of foot and mouth disease in 2001. Tourism has provided him with a new way of earning a living, said the farmer who hopes tourists to the region will find the bio-sausages as tasty as the regular ones.
Internet: www.visitenc.com, www.yorkshiredales.org.uk, www.visitbritain.de
