Askrigg Common

Today's the day ......................... for a Dale's tale

We found ourselves travelling from the east side of the Pennines through Wensleydale today - one of the Dales in the Yorkshire Dales National Park.

Wensleydale is one of only a few Yorkshire Dales not currently named after its principal river - the River Ure.  But its older name - Yoredale - can still be seen on some maps and as the Yoredale Series of geological strata.  It stretches some 25 miles from west to east and lies between Wharfedale to the south and the quieter Swaledale to the the north via Buttertubs Pass.  I suppose it is most famous for its cheese, which is made in the village of Hawes.

The weather was not great today when we set off - cloudy and lightly drizzling.  But a few miles along the road, enough of a gap appeared in the clouds to allow a few rays of sunshine to shine on to the opposite side of the valley.  The combination of the sun and the drizzle turned the whole sky into a rainbow.  The effect was very peculiar - but spectacularly colourful ......................