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🌿 Discover the stories, history, legends, people and hidden gems of the Yorkshire Dales.

📍 New content every day.

❤️ Celebrating everything that makes the Dales extraordinary

29/10/2026

THE “GRAND CANYON OF THE NORTH”… JUST BEYOND THE YORKSHIRE DALES. 😮⛰️

No, this isn’t Iceland.

And it certainly isn’t Arizona.

THIS is High Cup Nick.

Sitting just beyond the Yorkshire Dales, across the Pennines into Cumbria, is one of the most extraordinary landscapes in northern England.

And from the air…

you suddenly realise just how enormous it is.

A vast U-shaped valley slices through the Pennine landscape, surrounded by towering walls of rock.

But here’s where it gets even better.

THIS LANDSCAPE WAS CARVED BY ICE.

Around 20,000 years ago, this part of northern England lay beneath an enormous mass of ice.

Over thousands of years, glacial action helped shape the huge valley of High Cup Gill we see today.

And those dramatic dark cliffs around its upper edge?

They’re part of the Whin Sill — incredibly tough dolerite formed from molten rock around 295 million years ago.

So when your drone flies into this landscape…

you’re looking at hundreds of millions of years of Earth’s history in a few seconds.

And there’s another Yorkshire Dales connection.

THE PENNINE WAY LINKS THEM.

The famous long-distance trail travels north through the Yorkshire Dales before continuing across the Pennines and eventually bringing walkers through this extraordinary landscape.

Which means plenty of people who’ve walked our Dales will eventually find themselves standing here…

probably wondering how on earth somewhere this spectacular exists so close by.

From ground level, High Cup Nick is impressive.

From the air, it’s absolutely ridiculous.

And yes…

Before somebody reaches for the keyboard — we know it’s Cumbria. 😂

We’re stepping just beyond the Yorkshire Dales boundary for this one.

But when your neighbour has something looking like THIS in the back garden…

you’ve got to have a nosey over the wall.

Yorkshire may even have some competition. 👀

Turn the sound up.

Put it full screen.

And come with us over High Cup Nick — the so-called “Grand Canyon of the North.”

📍 High Cup Nick | North Pennines, Cumbria
🥾 Pennine Way
⛰️ North Pennines National Landscape & UNESCO Global Geopark

Yorkshire Dales | High Cup Nick | High Cup Gill | Cumbria | North Pennines | Pennine Way | Dufton | Northern England | UK landscapes | walking | hiking | drone footage

FOOTAGE / LOCATION NOTE: High Cup Nick lies in the North Pennines in Cumbria and is outside the Yorkshire Dales National Park boundary. We’re featuring it because of its close geographical and walking connections with the Dales, including the Pennine Way. Footage is shared by Yorkshire Dales Uncovered for landscape, educational and editorial purposes. Where third-party footage or material is supplied, copyright remains with the original creator/rightsholder and appropriate permission/credit should be retained.

— Yorkshire Dales Uncovered

29/10/2026

DISNEY CAME TO THE DALES.
BUT DO YOU RECOGNISE THE PUB?

What else is the pub famous for ?

Fifty years ago, this little Yorkshire Dales village appeared in a Disney film about three children determined to save a group of pit ponies.

And there’s the Red Lion, hiding in plain sight.

The village is Langthwaite in Arkengarthdale. The film is Escape from the Dark, released in Britain in 1976.

If that title doesn’t ring a bell, you might know its American name: The Littlest Horse Thieves.

The story starts with a decision to replace the mine’s ponies with machinery. When the children discover what’s planned for the animals, they decide to rescue them.

A big adventure, with a very Yorkshire backdrop.

Alastair Sim and Prunella Scales were among the cast, while the Grimethorpe Colliery Band performed Ron Goodwin’s music.

But for anyone who knows this corner of the Dales, spotting those familiar buildings might be the best bit.

Look from one photograph to the other. Different signs, different faces, picnic benches outside — yet the village is unmistakable.

We often talk about All Creatures Great and Small here. Langthwaite has another screen story worth remembering.

Does anyone remember the Disney filming — or have a family photograph or story from when the crew came to the village?

There may be a wonderful piece of local history sitting in somebody’s photo album.

Yorkshire Dales Uncovered — familiar places, unexpected stories.

Archive image: film still from Escape from the Dark (Walt Disney Productions, 1976). Both supplied images have been adjusted for clarity and colour without AI regeneration.

Yorkshire Dales Uncovered

29/10/2026

THE FORGOTTEN YORKSHIRE DALES FARMER WHO MADE SWALEDALE STONES SING… 🎵❤️

He wasn’t famous.

He wasn’t wealthy.

He didn’t perform in grand concert halls.

He was a farmer from Keld who discovered he could make music from the stones of the River Swale.

And this remarkable old photograph captures him with them.

Meet Richard Alderson, born in 1845 and known around Upper Swaledale by the wonderfully unforgettable nickname…

“Neddy Dick.”

Neddy spent his life in one of the most remote and beautiful corners of the Yorkshire Dales.

But he possessed a rather unusual gift.

HE HEARD SOMETHING IN THE RIVER THAT EVERYONE ELSE WALKED PAST.

Neddy discovered that when certain stones were struck, they produced different musical notes.

So he began collecting them.

One stone.

Then another.

And another.

He carefully selected stones with different tones until eventually he’d created his own lithophone — a musical instrument made from stone.

Now look again at that photograph.

Those stones lined up beside Neddy weren’t building materials.

They were his music.

And that was only the beginning.

SOUNDS FROM ACROSS THE DALE STARTED FINDING THEIR WAY TO KELD.

Neddy collected old grandfather-clock bells from farms and cottages and also played a battered harmonium.

One wonderful account from around 1900 describes a visitor walking through Keld on a Sunday morning when they heard music.

They followed it.

And there was Neddy…

playing his bells with one hand and the harmonium with the other.

Just picture that scene.

A tiny village surrounded by the great hills of Upper Swaledale.

No cars roaring past.

No television.

No radio.

Just the sound of an old farmer’s music drifting from his cottage.

AND PERHAPS THE NICEST PART IS THAT NEDDY WASN’T LOOKING FOR FAME.

Later memories describe him as quiet and shy — sometimes reluctant to perform simply because somebody asked.

He appears to have made music because…

he loved making music.

Nothing more complicated than that.

Neddy never married.

He remained in his beloved corner of Swaledale until his death in 1926, aged 82, and was buried at Muker.

Eventually his extraordinary stone instrument was dismantled.

And you’d imagine that’s where our story ends.

It doesn’t.

Because local memories tell us that some of Neddy’s musical stones were later reused…

IN A GARDEN WALL IN KELD.

And there’s something rather beautiful about that.

Stones taken from Swaledale.

Given a voice by an eccentric old farmer.

Played for the simple pleasure of making music.

And eventually…

returned to Swaledale once again.

Some of them may still be sitting quietly in Keld today.

Almost 100 years after Neddy died.

Which leaves Yorkshire Dales Uncovered with a challenge…

CAN WE FIND NEDDY DICK’S MUSICAL STONES? 👀

Someone reading this may remember hearing stories about him.

Someone may have an old photograph hidden in a drawer.

And somebody in Keld might know exactly which wall we’re talking about.

If that’s you, we’d genuinely love to hear from you.

Because the Yorkshire Dales isn’t just about spectacular scenery.

It’s the people who lived here.

The characters.

The ingenuity.

The little stories passed from one generation to another.

And occasionally…

a farmer who discovered that even the stones could sing. ❤️

📍 Keld, Upper Swaledale
🎵 Richard “Neddy Dick” Alderson | 1845–1926

PHOTO / ARCHIVE DISCLAIMER: This historical image is shared for the purpose of documenting, discussing and celebrating Yorkshire Dales social history. Yorkshire Dales Uncovered does not claim ownership of the original photograph. Copyright and associated rights remain with the original photographer, archive, collection and/or respective rights holder. If you are the rights holder, know the original source, or can provide a more precise attribution, please contact Yorkshire Dales Uncovered and the appropriate credit will be added or amended promptly.

— Yorkshire Dales Uncovered
Yorkshire Dales Uncovered

28/10/2026

50,000 FOLLOWERS. ONE VERY SPECIAL CORNER OF YORKSHIRE. ❤️

Well… that’s a fair few of us who’ll stop what we’re doing to look at a sheep in the road.

Yorkshire Dales Uncovered has just reached 50,000 followers.

And I’m properly chuffed.

Whether you live here, grew up here, visit whenever you can, or simply follow because you miss the place — thank you.

The photographs and videos might catch your eye, but it’s your stories, memories, local knowledge and Yorkshire humour that give this page a life of its own.

Quite often, the best bit of a post is underneath it.

And every time you share something, the Dales reaches someone new.

Someone who might book a night away, call into a village pub, buy from a farm shop, visit an attraction or discover a little independent business they might otherwise have driven straight past.

It also gives the people of the Dales a bigger audience — the farmers, characters, businesses, communities and families whose stories sit behind those beautiful views.

For me, 50,000 is a huge encouragement to keep going.

To get out there.
To film more.
To ask more questions.
To dig out the stories we’ve forgotten.
And to uncover more of the Yorkshire Dales we all love.

So genuinely — thank you.

For following. For sharing your memories. For contributing your knowledge. For putting me right when needed.

And, of course, for telling your mates.

50,000 of us. ❤️

Still room at the table.

Just bring your own chair.

James
Yorkshire Dales Uncovered
Yorkshire Dales Uncovered fans Yorkshire Dales National

28/10/2026

PART TWO — THE DAYDREAM BELIEVER WHO NEVER GAVE UP HIS ORIGINAL DREAM… 🐎

Davy Jones — the Manchester lad who dreamed of becoming a jockey long before he became a worldwide star with The Monkees.

At just 15, Davy had left school to become an apprentice with racehorse trainer Basil Foster.

Showbusiness changed everything.

Oliver! took him to Broadway. America followed. Then came The Monkees, hit records, television and worldwide fame.

But Davy never really left racing behind.

When Basil Foster later trained at Middleham, Davy returned to his old world — riding on the Yorkshire gallops, keeping horses there and maintaining a connection with the racing town even at the height of Monkeemania.

But there was still one thing missing.

Davy Jones had never fulfilled that boyhood dream of riding a winner.

Fast-forward to 1 February 1996.

Davy was now 50 years old.

At Lingfield Park he climbed aboard Digpast, a six-year-old chestnut gelding owned by his daughter Sarah, for the Ontario Amateur Riders’ Handicap.

This wasn’t a celebrity appearance.

Davy had an amateur jockey’s licence.

He was there to race.

And more than three decades after first entering a racing stable as a teenage apprentice…

Davy Jones rode Digpast to victory.

They crossed the line 2½ lengths clear.

The boy who had once dreamed of becoming a jockey had travelled an extraordinary road — from mucking out stables to Broadway, from The Monkees to worldwide fame, from Middleham’s gallops to packed concert halls.

And now, aged 50…

he was finally a winning jockey.

Davy later described it as:

“One of the greatest thrills of my life.”

Think about that for a moment.

The Monkees.

Daydream Believer.

International fame.

Television.

Broadway.

Millions of records sold.

Yet one of his greatest thrills came aboard a racehorse at Lingfield, finally achieving the dream he’d first chased as a boy.

And racing didn’t forget him either.

After Davy died in 2012, Lingfield Park honoured the former Monkee and jockey by naming races after him and holding a minute’s silence.

Perhaps that’s the perfect ending to this unlikely Yorkshire Dales connection.

Davy Jones became famous for being a Monkee.

But the young stable lad who wanted to be a jockey never really disappeared.

From the racing yards to Middleham, from Middleham to Monkeemania — and eventually into the winner’s enclosure.

Some dreams just take a little longer. ❤️🐎

📍 Middleham connection — Yorkshire Dales
🐎 Davy Jones | The Monkees | Middleham | Yorkshire racing history | Basil Foster | Digpast | Lingfield Park | Dales Characters

PHOTO / ARCHIVE NOTE: Historical photographs are used here solely to illustrate and document the life and racing career of Davy Jones. Yorkshire Dales Uncovered does not claim ownership of third-party archive photography. Copyright remains with the original photographer, agency and/or respective rights holder. If you are the rights holder and would like a specific credit added or have any concerns regarding use, please contact the page and we will amend promptly.

🎞️ Missed Part One? See our previous post for the extraordinary 1967 footage of Davy riding through Middleham, together with the link to the original Yorkshire Film Archive record.

28/10/2026

PART 1 : BEFORE HE WAS A MONKEE… HE WANTED TO BE A JOCKEY. 🐎

Millions knew Davy Jones as the Manchester-born heart-throb singing Daydream Believer with The Monkees.

Far fewer know about his remarkable connection with a little racing town in the Yorkshire Dales.

Middleham.

At the height of Monkeemania, Davy would return to Yorkshire, climb back into the saddle and ride with his old racing mentor, trainer Basil Foster.

And in 1967, cameras captured one of the world’s biggest pop stars riding a racehorse straight through the streets of Middleham…

This one has a brilliant ending.

Because Davy never gave up on his original dream.

PART TWO — 36 YEARS AFTER HE SET OUT TO BECOME A JOCKEY… DAVY JONES FINALLY DID IT. 🐎

Davy Jones, the future Monkee who originally dreamed of becoming a jockey — and who maintained a remarkable connection with racing and Middleham even after becoming a worldwide star.

But Davy never quite let that childhood dream go.

The records, the television shows and the screaming crowds came and went.

The horses stayed.

Years later Davy returned seriously to the saddle, took out an amateur rider’s licence and started racing.

Then came 1 February 1996.

Lingfield Park.

Davy Jones was now 50 years old.

He climbed aboard a six-year-old chestnut gelding called Digpast, a horse owned by his daughter Sarah.

The former stable lad settled him into the race.

They made their move.

And then something happened that Davy had been waiting most of his life for.

They won.

Digpast crossed the line 2½ lengths clear.

Thirty-six years after the teenage Davy Jones had set out to become a jockey, the international pop star had finally ridden his first winner.

Afterwards he called it:

“one of the greatest thrills of my life.”

Think about that.

The Monkees.

Worldwide fame.

Hit records.

Television.

Broadway.

Hollywood.

And one of the greatest thrills of his life was still simply…

winning a horse race.

Perhaps the loveliest part of the whole story is that Davy’s friendship with his old trainer Basil Foster endured long after those Middleham days.

Davy Jones may have become a Monkee.

But somewhere underneath it all, the 15-year-old lad who wanted to be a jockey never really went away.

📍 From Newmarket to Middleham to worldwide fame — and eventually the winner’s enclosure at Lingfield.

Some dreams just take a little longer.

Davy Jones | The Monkees | Middleham | Yorkshire Dales | Digpast | horse racing | Yorkshire racing history | Dales characters

Archive note: Footage/images featured are from the 1967 Tyne Tees Television Late Look interview with Davy Jones, preserved by the Yorkshire Film Archive / North East Film Archive. All archive material remains the property of its respective rights holders and is shared here for historical commentary and educational context.

🎞️ Want to see the original? We’ve put the Yorkshire Film Archive link in the comments, where you can view the archive record and read about the full 1967 interview filmed in Middleham.

28/10/2026

JUST LISTEN TO THAT… 💙

No traffic. No soundtrack needed.

Just the River Wharfe running through Kettlewell, surrounded by one of the most beautiful stretches of Upper Wharfedale.

It’s easy to race through the Yorkshire Dales looking for the next viewpoint.

Sometimes the best thing you can do is stop on a bridge, put the phone down for a minute and listen.

📍 Kettlewell, Upper Wharfedale — Yorkshire Dales

🎥 Filmed by Yorkshire Dales Uncovered

Who else could happily stand here for an hour?

Kettlewell | River Wharfe | Upper Wharfedale | Yorkshire Dales | North Yorkshire | Dales Way | Yorkshire countryside | Yorkshire villages

27/10/2026

YOU KNOW YOU’RE IN THE YORKSHIRE DALES WHEN THIS IS THE VIEW FROM THE VILLAGE BRIDGE…

No filter needed. No big production.

Just Kettlewell, the River Wharfe and one of those views that makes you stop for a minute.

Right in the heart of Upper Wharfedale, Kettlewell is one of those Dales villages where stone cottages, surrounding fells and the river all seem to fit together exactly as they should.

🎥 Filmed by us today from the main bridge in Kettlewell.

Could you live with this on your doorstep?

📍 Kettlewell, Upper Wharfedale, Yorkshire Dales

Yorkshire Dales | Kettlewell | Upper Wharfedale | River Wharfe | Yorkshire villages | Dales walks | North Yorkshire | Yorkshire countryside

© Yorkshire Dales Uncovered — original footage.

27/10/2026

WANT TO DISAPPEAR INTO THE YORKSHIRE DALES FOR A FEW DAYS?

Right at the top of Langstrothdale, surrounded by some of the wildest and most peaceful countryside in the Yorkshire Dales, you’ll find Nethergill Farm.

A 400-acre working upland eco-farm and wildlife haven, where the traffic disappears, the skies get properly dark and your neighbours are more likely to be cattle, curlews and whatever else happens to wander past.

And you can actually stay here.

🏡 Two self-catering Haylofts — Byre and Hay Mew, converted from a stone barn dating back to 1871.

⛺ Wild camping for walkers and cyclists travelling through the Dales — open year-round, with the Dales Way right on the doorstep.

🌌 Dark Sky country — miles from the glare of towns and cities.

🥾 Walking straight from the farm, with Langstrothdale, Wharfedale and the wider Yorkshire Dales waiting outside.

🌿 And this isn’t simply somewhere pretty to sleep. The farm is being managed with nature recovery, regenerative grazing, peatland restoration and wildlife habitat at its heart.

Sometimes the best luxury isn’t a spa, a minibar or room service.

It’s silence, a huge Yorkshire sky and absolutely nowhere you need to be.

📍 Nethergill Farm, Oughtershaw, Langstrothdale, Yorkshire Dales

👉 Stays, camping & more: nethergill.co.uk

Yorkshire Dales accommodation | Langstrothdale | Nethergill Farm | Dales Way | Yorkshire Dales camping | Dark Skies | farm stays | walking holidays | wildlife | Upper Wharfedale

📸 Yorkshire Dales Uncovered

Yorkshire Dales Uncovered Nethergill Farm

27/10/2026

HOW WELL DO YOU KNOW THE YORKSHIRE DALES? 👀

No signposts. No Google. Just one little clue…

Follow the water and you’ll find a place that’s been using its power for centuries.

Can you name where we filmed this today?

📍 Yorkshire Dales
🎥 Filmed today by Yorkshire Dales Uncovered

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