Case study - the Yorkshire Dales
Land uses
The relative importance of these land uses will vary depending on the nature of the rocks and the physical landscape. Water storage and supply will be more important in a glaciated area such as the Lake District, than in a limestone area such as the Yorkshire Dales.
Three land uses which are particularly important in the Yorkshire Dales are The cultivation of plants or rearing of animals for food., industry and An activity undertaken during leisure time.. We'll look at each in turn.
Farming
Poor upland weather conditions, a lack of surface water (due to the permeable limestone), thin soils and bare rock (where there is limestone pavement) mean that crops cannot be grown.
Farming in the Yorkshire Dales is characterised by When sheep are reared on grass and are kept to produce meat and wool. on the uplands, Cows which are kept for their milk. fed from Fresh grass which is used to graze cows. in the valley floors and a landscape of dry stone walls and stone barns. Many farmers have had to To do something different to the normal business, eg when a farmer sets up a campsite to make more money. their farm to generate more income, eg holiday cottages at Horsehouse Farm.
Industry
The removal of rocks from the land. in the Yorkshire Dales is an important The type of work that people do.. Around 4.5 million tonnes of rock are quarried each year. The main rocks quarried are carboniferous limestone and gritstone.
Most of the rock is used in the construction industry. One of the largest An area of land that is used to remove rocks for use in industries. is Swinden Quarry which employs around 70 people. Small hi-tech industrial units are also located in Hawes.
Recreation and tourism
Visitors have been travelling to the Yorkshire Dales since the 18th century when writers and artists sought out the dramatic landscapes.
The growth of the rail network in the 19th century brought increased numbers, but the most dramatic growth came in the late 20th century as a result of the rise in car ownership. More than 90 per cent of today's visitors arrive by car.
Visitors go to the Yorkshire Dales to admire the distinctive scenery and landscape, such as Malham Cove, Gordale Scar and the waterfalls at Aysgarth and Ingleton. People enjoy visiting the traditional quaint little 'Areas which have many tourist attractions and services to attract people away from fragile places.' villages such as Malham and like to find out about the history of the area at The Dales Countryside Museum.
Tourists and school children visit limestone caves, eg White Scar Caves, to admire the many Different rock formations created by water dripping through the ceiling of a cavern and depositing calcium carbonate e.g. stalactites. such as the Witches Tongue. Freeholdersâ Wood, consisting of ancient semi-natural woodland, has A walkway or path for people to walk on. and a variety of Non-domesticated/wild plants and animals. to see.
Many visitors go hill walking and there are also a number of footpaths in the area. Other activities such as potholing, caving, rock climbing, mountain biking and horse riding are also enjoyed in the Yorkshire Dales.