THE SETTLE AREA

185 square miles of wonderful countryside, spectacular landscape and fascinating heritage
 that lies on the south-western edge of the Yorkshire Dales National Park
and the north-eastern edge of the Forest of Bowland Area National Landscape.

Scroll down the page for brief descriptions of the Settle Area Market Town, Villages and Dales, and click on the links to find out more.

an overview oF the Settle Area

The Settle Area straddles the border between North Yorkshire and Lancashire and is just a short distance from Cumbria and the Lake District.
 
 
The ancient market town of Settle is the 'capital' of the area and home to many places to shop, eat, stay and be entertained.
 
 
The town is surrounded by characterful villages, each with its own distinctive personality and charm.
 
 
Ribblesdale is the largest dale in the area. The smaller dales are Malhamdale, Chapel-le-Dale, Crummackdale, Clapdale and Silverdale.
 
 
Lying within the area are the magnificent Three Peaks of Yorkshire (Whernside, Ingleborough & Pen-y-Ghent) and the spectacular landscape of Malham Cove, Goredale Scar and Malham Tarn.
 
Stainforth Foss, Catrigg Foss, Scaleber Foss and Janet's Foss are the grandest and most accessible of the picturesque waterfalls waiting to be discovered, although there are a myriad of smaller falls and cascades dotted throughout a landscape in which the sound of bubbling water is an ever-present companion. 

MARKET TOWN

Settle

Settle is an ancient market town with a market charter granted by Henry III in 1249. The town is located on the southern edge of the Yorkshire Dales and is the gateway to Upper Ribblesdale . Current population is approx 2600.

Villages

Giggleswick

Giggleswick is a picturesque village on the edge of the Yorkshire Dales National Park. It is located to the immediate north-west of Settle and has a population of approximately 1270.

Langcliffe

Langcliffe is a pretty village on the edge of the Yorkshire Dales National Park and bounded by the River Ribble to the west. Located to the immediate north of Settle, the village has a population of approximately 333.

Stainforth

Stainforth, a pretty village in the Yorkshire Dales National Park, is situated to the east of the River Ribble with Little Stainforth (or Knight Stainforth) to the west. The village nestles under Stainforth Scar, 2½ miles north of Settle. Population is approx. 230.

Rathmell

Rathmell is a village that lies on road between Settle and Clitheroe. It is 3 miles south-west of Settle and has a population of approximately 305.

Wigglesworth

Wigglesworth is a village that lies outside the National Park, on the road between Settle and the Forest of Bowland. It is located 6 miles south of Settle and has a population of approximately 380.

Tosside

Tosside is a village that lies on the edge of the Forest of Bowland, straddling the Yorkshire/Lancashire border. It is located 8½ miles south-west of Settle and has a population of approximately 150.

Long Preston

Long Preston is a village in the Yorkshire Dales National Park. It is located 4 miles south of Settle and has a population of approximately 750.

Hellifield

Hellifield is a village on the edge of the Yorkshire Dales National Park.  It is located 6 miles south-east of Settle and has a population of approximately 1430.

Austwick

Austwick is a picturesque village on the edge of the Yorkshire Dales National Park. It is 5 miles north-west of Settle and has a population of approximately 480.

Clapham

Clapham is a picturesque village in the Yorkshire Dales National Park.  It is located 6 miles north-west of Settle and has a population of approximately 640.

Horton in Ribblesdale

Horton in Ribblesdale is in the Yorkshire Dales National Park and lies 6 miles to the north of Settle. The village has a station on the Settle-Carlisle line. Population is approx. 430.

Malham

Malham is a picturesque village in the Yorkshire Dales National Park. It is located 6½ miles east of Settle and has a population of approximately 240.

DALES

Ribblesdale

Ribblesdale is the upper valley of the River Ribble which rises in the hills above Ribblehead and flows 75 miles to join the Irish Sea near Lytham.

Malhamdale

The upper end of the valley of the River Aire is known as Malhamdale. Malham Tarn is at the head of the dale which then runs through Watlowes Dry Valley, over Malham Cove and through the villages of Malham, Kirkby Malham, Hanlith and Airton.

Crummackdale

Crummackdale (or Crummack Dale) is a small, sparsely populated dale lying to the north of Austwick. Austwick Beck rises at the head of Crummackdale and flows westward into the River Wenning and then the River Lune which enters the Irish Sea at Lancaster.

Clapdale

Clapdale is a small dale lying to the north of Clapham Village and below the southern slopes of Ingleborough. The head of Clapdale is Trow Gill, a ‘dry', limestone ravine.

Silverdale

Silverdale is a small, side dale of Ribblesdale lying to the south of Pen-y-ghent. The dale is bounded by the southern slopes of Pen-y-ghent to the west and Fountains Fell to the east. 

Chapel-le-Dale

Chapel-le-Dale stretches in a south-westerly direction from the Ribblehead Viaduct to the outskirts of Ingleton.  The sides of the Dale are the slopes of Ingleborough to the east and Whernside to the west.