Wednesday 15 January 2014

The Yorkshire Dales and a 3D Map

Earlier this month I mentioned visiting Skipton Castle. We went around it on New Year's Day before staying overnight in the town.

We used to know Skipton fairly well in younger years but had not been in the town for quite a number of years as the main A59 and A65 roads bypass it and we always seem to have been on the way to somewhere else.

Skipton is an excellent point from which to explore the Yorkshire Dales, especially Airedale and Wharfedale. Spots by the River Wharfe at Bolton Abbey and Burnsall are especially popular and deservedly so.


This is beautiful countryside which, although now living further away, we have been fortunate to be able enjoy quite conveniently for most our lives. (The photo above was taken in 1979). However, many people find it quite difficult to picture how the various river valleys relate to one another in the Yorkshire Dales landscape.

One answer to this had been found by the owner of the B&B hotel at which we stayed this time. In the hallway was a map of the Dales but instead of a flat map on paper it was made of a moulded plastic composition showing the hills and valleys in three dimensions.

The lady said that this Yorkshire Dales 3D map was very helpful in explaining the shape of the countryside to her guests. I can truthfully say also that, although I know the area quite well, there some points that I picked up that I'd never noticed from even the best of normal contour maps.

One of these would make a great memento of a visit to the Dales, maybe instead of an artists's print to hang on a wall.

Yorkshire Dales 3d raised relief map

No comments:

Post a Comment