Dales villages

Trying to fit a walk in between heavy showers has been the general trend in July and August so far. Whereas June was very hot and very dry, since then it has been wetter and cooler than average (though in many ways I prefer that. I don't 'do' heat well.) Anyway, one day I managed a circular walk - mainly dry - between the villages of Hebden (pictured above and below) and Burnsall, some of it along the banks of the River Wharfe. (By the way, Hebden is not related to Hebden Bridge where my daughter lives.) Both Hebden and Burnsall are typical Dales villages with stone buildings, many of them dating back to the 17th century. Hebden village originally grew up where a medieval drovers' route crossed Hebden Water but it expanded in the 18th and early 19th centuries when a textile mill and lead mining in the surrounding area brought employment. It's now powered mainly by farming and tourism, with a few people choosing to live here and commute to Skipton or Harrogate. 

Both villages are now popular with tourists and walkers. Burnsall (below) in particular gets inundated with cars on sunny days. It has a good pub, a couple of cafés and a large area of grass (the village green) alongside the river, which is popular for picnics and ball games. The river here is shallow enough for paddling. 

There are some pretty cottages in both villages, some of which are now holiday lets. Even in the rain (which set in later on in the afternoon) the old stone buildings look attractive.