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| Welcome to the Dales | Welcome to the Dales 2 | Gordale Scar |
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| Limestone pavement above Malham Cove | Norber Erratic | Snow in Watlowes |
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| Thornton Force |
GO TO THE GEOGRAPHICAL ASSOCIATION'S WEBSITE
This is an area featured in the new QCA Scheme of Work, and quite rightly as karst scenery is one of the most spectacular landscapes in Britain in its own way. Some in-depth information on KARST can be found at the DYETRACING site. This links in to the various pages on Karst scenery, which was named after a few regions in the former Yugoslavia, including Slovenia. Some of this gets a little complicated, but it's interesting stuff.
For details on the NATURE OF LIMESTONE itself go here.
The area around MALHAM in the YORKSHIRE DALES is one of the main areas, although the White Peak in the PEAK DISTRICT is wonderful too, and many a weekend has been spent in Water-cum-Jolly Dale or its neighbours.
One of the most spectacular sites in the Dales is the disappearance of the Fell Beck down Gaping Ghyll. The 110m drop to the base of the cavern can be experienced by a winch chair which is set up on May and August Bank Holidays. The cavers who run this service will gladly lower you down the pot hole for free, but it costs £7 (ish) to be brought back up again...you could find your own way out through the cave system I suppose.
For details on GAPING GHYLL, and E. A Martel, who explored the cave system, try the SHOWCAVES site. This also has some excellent information on other show caves, on cave landforms and photographs of cave systems: good stuff for all those spelunkers out there.
Also found a link to a site for a BBC SCOTLAND program called HIGHER STILL looking at Limestone Landscapes which has some excellent mapwork questions and information on the Yorkshire Dales. This would be the basis of a good lesson. Some useful revision images too as well as checklists of surface and underground features.
I recommend the book: "The Hidden Landscape" by Richard Fortey, published by Pimlico. Another area which is well worth visiting is the limestone plateau of THE BURREN in the Republic of Ireland.
A good article in the September 2002 issue of 'Geography Review', written by David Atkinson covers a lot of the issues relating to limestone weathering and scenery, and would be well worth reading for those with an interest.
KARST in IRELAND is also covered by the Irish Geological Society.
RECENT MALHAM PHOTOS
Taken March 2005
Courtesy of Val Vannet - many thanks for these Val !
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| Welcome to the Dales | Welcome to the Dales 2 | Gordale Scar |
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| Limestone pavement above Malham Cove | Norber Erratic | Snow in Watlowes |
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| Thornton Force |