The Yorkshire Dales are in the north of England , mainly in the county of North Yorkshire, with parts extending into Cumbria and Lancashire.

Where exactly are the Yorkshire Dales?

  • They are a series of valleys and hills (the Pennines) in northern England.
  • Most of the area lies in North Yorkshire, with smaller areas in Cumbria and Lancashire.
  • The Dales sit roughly between the towns of Skipton, Settle, Ilkley and Harrogate to the south and the edge of the Lake District and Howgill Fells to the west and north.

If you picture a map of England, they’re above Leeds and Bradford, below the Lake District, and a bit to the west of York.

Quick travel context

  • Closest bigger cities include Leeds, Bradford, Harrogate and York to the south and east.
  • The area is largely covered by the Yorkshire Dales National Park, about 2,178–2,179 km² in size.

In short: if you head to northern England, into the upland Pennines of North Yorkshire (spilling slightly into Cumbria and Lancashire), you’re in the Yorkshire Dales.

TL;DR: The Yorkshire Dales are an upland countryside region in the Pennines of northern England, mostly in North Yorkshire, stretching slightly into Cumbria and Lancashire, just north of Leeds and Bradford.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.