Читать книгу Walking in the Yorkshire Dales: South and West. Wharfedale, Littondale, Malhamdale, Dentdale and Ribblesdale онлайн

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While geology and subterranean force may have laid the foundation for the Dales landscape, it is the natural elements that have been responsible for moulding it. And nothing has been more dramatic in its effects than the action of ice. During the last half-million years of its history, Britain has been subjected to at least three major ice ages, when vast glacial sheets many hundreds of feet thick, inexorably fanned out from the mountain areas across much of the country. Although the general topography of the area had already been set before the ice ages began, each new advance scoured the land back to the very bedrock, gouging valleys ever deeper and straightening their erratic fluvial courses.

When the thaws came, boulder and clay debris were dumped far from their origin and unimaginable volumes of water were released. What we see today are just the finishing touches left by the latest glacial period, whose icy tendrils left these valleys 12,000 years ago.

Dropping off the steep southern snout of Pen-y-ghent (Walk 35)