This is mainly why we go to Yorkshire.

The hiking paths in Great Britain are exceptional, and the Yorkshire Dales National Park is one of the best examples of this.

The weather for this trip wasn't as lovely as it was for our trip in 1998, but that didn't deter us. We went out in our rain gear and had a marvelous time hiking through the fields in the rain. At one time it was pouring so heavily we decided to take refuge in a small hay barn until the cloudburst passed. We sat on hay bales, shared a bottle of water and chocolate bar, and watched the rain from the small doorway. It was an experience we'll never forget!

Hawes, Askrigg, Thwaite, Skipton, Ribblehead, Horton-in-Ribblesdale, ... the list is far too long to print here. Every village in the Dales is charming, most are small, and each is unique. Check around for the Market Day schedule, as many of these villages have great open-air markets one day each week.

Our other attraction to this area (and all of the UK actually) is the abundance of good pubs. The local brew, Theakston's Old Peculiar (Inspector Morse's favorite) can be found almost everywhere and it's very good. We have found pubs to be great places to meet the locals and make new friends. Many of them have no-smoking policies in the restaurant area now.

The Yorkshire Dales has its share of ancient abbeys and castles, some in better shape than others. We particularly enjoyed Bolton Abbey, shown at left.

In addition to ancient buildings, you can be entertained at a number of museums and craft-makers studios. Don't forget a visit to the Wensleydale Cheese Factory and the Dales Countryside Museum, both in the village of Hawes.

Small, quiet guest house with beautiful views over the fells in the middle of James Herriot country. No TV, no phones, doors lock at 11:00 PM, no exceptions. There are 4 guest rooms and 2 shared bathrooms. The hosts are congenial and helpful and the food is excellent. As good in 2002 as it was in 1998.

When we were there in 2002 the proprietors were thinking about retiring, so be sure to book ahead!

The possibilities are endless in this, our favorite part of England. On our next visit we plan to take the Herriot trail, reliving the episodes of "All Creatures Great and Small" - the series (and originally the books) that sparked our interest in this area in the first place.

We would also like to spend a day on the Settle-Carlisle railway. They have a number of hikes mapped out where you can hike and ride your way around the Dales.

And last but definitely NOT least, we have yet to take the pub-to-pub hikes found in some of the many hiking guides available in the area. That's my kind of hiking!