DALE DELIGHTS

Radical Steps, Ruskin's View and the Devil's Bridge are just some of the curiosities visited by Sue Greenwood in the quieter parts of the Yorkshire Dales

- 

We love the Yorkshire Dales, but in summer it can get quite crowded, with walkers off on adventures up the peaks and the less energetic strolling around the picturesque market towns and villages. In an effort to avoid the crowds, we decided to visit a slightly quieter part of the Dales - Ingleton. This village is situated on the edge of the Yorkshire Dales and is also close to the borders of both Cumbria and Lancashire.

We based ourselves at Thornbrook Barn Caravan Site, which is situated just off the A65 and is just over a mile from the village of Ingleton. We travelled on a Friday from our home on the Yorkshire coast and unfortunately, lots of other people were travelling too; it was a long journey due to heavy traffic all the way there, so we were relieved to arrive, get set up and relax.

Kirkby Lonsdale

On our first full day, the weather was fine, if a little breezy, and we decided to spend the day exploring the nearby town of Kirkby Lonsdale. This is a 15-minute drive from Ingleton and there is a car park suitable for motorhomes (LA6 2DE) not far from the town centre.

Alternatively, there are buses between Ingleton and Kirkby Lonsdale. They stop on the main road if you flag them down or there is a bus stop outside the community centre in Ingleton village (about a 20-minute walk from the caravan park).

Kirkby Lonsdale is an ancient market town about 10 miles south of Kendal. The town developed around the parish church and the nearby market, which dates from around the 12th century. However, the town never had its own railway station, the nearest being at Cowan Bridge two miles away, so this may explain why it remains a compact and quaint town.

In the 18th century, the industries of tanning and weaving were established in the town but had gone again by 1900. The town has remained predominantly rural, with tourism being the main industry in recent times.