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Typical Pennine scenery.

The Pennines are a low-rising mountain range in England. Often said ^{[1] [2][3]} to be the "backbone of England", they form an unbroken range stretching from the Peak District in the Midlands, through the Yorkshire Dales, parts of Greater Manchester, the West Pennine Moors of Lancashire and Cumbrian Fells to the Cheviot Hills on the Anglo-Scottish border. Their total length is about 250 miles (402 km). Image File history File links Question_book-3. ... Download high resolution version (1000x706, 241 KB)Typical Pennine scenery. ... Download high resolution version (1000x706, 241 KB)Typical Pennine scenery. ... For exotic financial options, see Mountain range (options). ... For other uses, see England (disambiguation). ... Look up Backbone in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... The Peak District is an upland area in central and northern England, lying mainly in northern Derbyshire, but also covering parts of Cheshire, Greater Manchester, Staffordshire, and South and West Yorkshire. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... The Yorkshire Dales (also known as the Dales) is the name given to an upland area, in Northern England. ... Greater Manchester is a metropolitan county in North West England which has a population of 2. ... Rivington Pike, a familiar local landmark The West Pennine Moors is an area of approximately 90 square miles of moorland and reservoir scenery, located in North West England, between the towns of Chorley, Bolton, Horwich and Blackburn. ... Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England, bounded to the west by the Irish Sea. ... Cumbria (IPA: ), is a shire county in the extreme North West of England. ... The Cheviot Hills are a range of rolling hills straddling the England/Scotland border between Northumberland and the Scottish Borders. ... The Anglo-Scottish border runs for 96 kilometres (60 miles) between the River Tweed on the east coast and the Solway Firth in the west. ...

Etymology

The earliest written reference to the name dates only from the 18th century. The name is arguably influenced by the name of the Apennine Mountains of Italy, whose acquaintance many English gentry made on the Grand Tour at the same period and whose name is attributed to the same Celtic linguistic root. The Apennine Mountains (Greek: Απεννινος; Latin: Appenninus--in both cases used in the singular; Italian: Appennini) is a mountain range stretching 1000 km from the north to the south of Italy along its east coast, traversing the entire peninsula, and forming, as it were, the backbone of the country. ... For other uses, see Grand Tour (disambiguation). ...

Toponomy

The names of towns and geographical features retain some evidence of the Celts who were here before, and after, the Romans: for example the town Penrith, the fell Pen-y-ghent, the river Eden, or the name Cumbria. More commonly the local names result from the later Anglo-Saxon and Norse settlements. And in both Yorkshire and Cumbria many Norse words not commonly used in standard English are part of everyday speech: for example, gill (narrow steep valley), beck (brook or stream), fell (hill), dale (valley). Celts, normally pronounced //, is a modern term used to describe any of the European peoples who spoke, or speak, a Celtic language. ... Statistics Population: 14,756 Ordnance Survey OS grid reference: NY515305 Administration District: Eden Shire county: Cumbria Region: North West England Constituent country: England Sovereign state: United Kingdom Other Ceremonial county: Cumbria Historic county: Cumberland Services Police force: Cumbria Constabulary Fire and rescue: {{{Fire}}} Ambulance: North West Post office and telephone... Pen-y-ghent is a mountain in the Yorkshire Dales. ... River Eden is the name of two rivers in the United Kingdom River Eden, Cumbria River Eden, Kent This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... Cumbria (IPA: ), is a shire county in the extreme North West of England. ... For other uses, see Anglo-Saxon. ... Norse is an adjective relating things to Denmark, Norway, Iceland and Sweden. ... This article is about the musician. ... The Ylläs fell in Finland Fell (from the Old Norse fjall, mountain) is a word used to refer to mountains, or certain types of mountainous landscape, in parts of England and Scandinavia. ... Look up dale in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...

Geology and landscape

Topographical map of the United Kingdom, Pennines centred

The Pennines form an anticline which extends in a north-south direction, consisting of Millstone Grit and the underlying Carboniferous Limestone. The limestone is exposed at the surface to the north of the range in the North Pennines AONB and to the South in the Derbyshire Peak District. In the Yorkshire Dales this limestone exposure has led to the formation of large underground cave systems and watercourses, known as "gills" and "pots" in the Yorkshire dialect. These potholes are more prevalent on the eastern side and are amongst the largest in England; notable examples are the chasms of Gaping Gill, which is over 350 ft (107 m) deep and Rowten Pot, which is 365 ft (111 m) deep. The presence of limestone has also led to some unusual geological formations in the region, such as the limestone pavements of the Yorkshire Pennines. Between the Northern and Southern areas of exposed limestone, between Skipton and the Peak, lies a narrow belt of gritstone country. Here the shales and sandstones of the Millstone Grit form high hills occupied by moors and peat-mosses with the higher ground being uncultivable and barely fit for pastures. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1400x1670, 597 KB) File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1400x1670, 597 KB) File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Anticline with syncline visible at far right- USGS In structural geology, an anticline is a Fold (geology) that is convex to the youngest beds—youngest sediments are on back of hand, older under the palm. ... Gritstone is a sedimentary rock composed of coarse sand grains and is a coarser version of sandstone. ... President Bush- Deres gold in dem dere mines The Carboniferous is a major division of the geologic timescale that extends from the end of the Devonian period, about 359. ... For other uses, see Limestone (disambiguation). ... Note: This page or section contains IPA phonetic symbols in Unicode. ... Gaping Gill entrance shaft viewed from the Main Chamber A wet view up the Fell Beck Falls into the entrance shaft; the small spot in the middle is a person being lowered down on a winch chair Gaping Gill on Ingleborough Hill is one of the deepest potholes in the... Rowten Pot is a cave system in the Pennines, on the top of West Kingsdale. ... Limestone pavement above Malham Cove A limestone pavement is a natural karst landform consisting of a flat, incised surface of exposed limestone that resembles artificial pavement. ...

The landscape of the Pennines is generally upland areas of high moorland indented by the more fertile valleys of the region's various rivers. The Pennines constitute the main watershed in northern England, dividing the eastern and western parts of the country. The rivers Eden, Ribble, and Mersey all rise in the Pennines and flow westwards towards the Irish Sea. On the other side of the watershed, the rivers Tyne, Tees, Wear, Swale, Ure, Calder, Aire, Don, and Trent also rise in the region but flow eastwards to the North Sea. Moorland in the Pennines (England); Coarse grasses and bracken tend to dominate especially in high rainfall areas. ... Main European water divides (red lines) separating catchments (gray regions). ... The River Eden is a river in Cumbria, England that flows through Carlisle on its way into the Solway Firth. ... The River Ribble at Ribchester The River Ribble is a river that runs through North Yorkshire and Lancashire, in the North of England. ... Ferry across the Mersey, June 2005 The River Mersey is a river in north-western England. ... Relief map of the Irish Sea. ... The Tyne looking west and upstream from the Newcastle bank towards the Gateshead Millennium Bridge The Tyne Bridge across the River Tyne between Newcastle and Gateshead. ... The Tees is a river in Northern England. ... The River Wear (pronounced Wee-er) is a river in the North East of England. ... The River Swale is a river in Yorkshire, England and a major tributary of the River Ure, which itself becomes the River Ouse, emptying into the North Sea via the Humber Estuary. ... The River Ure rises in the Yorkshire Pennine hills and becomes the River Ouse between Ripon and York, close to Boroughbridge. ... The River Calder is a river flowing through the predominantly urban areas of West Yorkshire, England, and gives its name to the borough of Calderdale. ... Gordale Beck flows out of Gordale Scar to join the Aire. ... The River Don (also called Dun in some stretches) is a river in South Yorkshire, England. ... For other uses see Trent River. ... The North Sea is a sea of the Atlantic Ocean, located between the coasts of Norway and Denmark in the east, the coast of the British Isles in the west, and the German, Dutch, Belgian and French coasts in the south. ...

The region is widely considered to be one of the most scenic areas of Britain. The North Pennines have been declared an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), while portions of the Pennines are incorporated into the Peak District National Park, the Yorkshire Dales National Park and the Northumberland National Park. Britain's first long distance footpath, the Pennine Way, runs the full length of the Pennine chain. The North Pennines is the northernmost part of the so-called backbone of England, the range of hills which runs through the centre of the northern half of England, from north to south. ... An Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) is an area of countryside with significant landscape value in England, Wales or Northern Ireland, that has been specially designated by the Countryside Agency on behalf of the United Kingdom government; the Countryside Council for Wales on behalf of the Welsh Assembly Government... The Peak District National Park is a national park in the north of England. ... A village in the Yorkshire Dales The Yorkshire Dales lie in an area of high ground in North and West Yorkshire, England. ... Northumberland National Park is the northernmost national park in England. ... Long-distance trails (or long-distance tracks, paths, footpaths or greenways) are trails or footpaths covering large distances, typically 50 km or more, used for rambling (that is, hiking or backpacking). ... The Pennine Way is a long-distance footpath in England. ...

Altitude

The mountains are not very high and are often referred to as fells - or sometimes, rather inaccurately, as hills. The highest is Cross Fell in eastern Cumbria, at 2,930 feet (893 m) while other principal peaks include Mickle Fell 2,585 ft (788 m), Whernside 2,415 ft (736 m), Ingleborough 2,372 ft (723 m), High Seat 2,328 ft (710 m) and Wild Boar Fell 2,324 ft (708 m), both in Mallerstang, Pen-y-ghent 2,274 ft (693 m), and Kinder Scout 2,087 ft (636 m). The Ylläs fell in Finland Fell (from the Old Norse fjall, mountain) is a word used to refer to mountains, or certain types of mountainous landscape, in parts of England and Scandinavia. ... At 893 m, Cross Fell is the highest point in the Pennine hills of Northern England. ... Mickle Fell is a hill in the Pennines, the range of hills and moors running down the middle of northern England. ... Whernside is a mountain in the Yorkshire Dales. ... Ingleborough is a peak in the Yorkshire Dales. ... High Seat can mean the name of two hills in England: High Seat, Lake District, a hill in the central part of the Lake District High Seat, Yorkshire Dales, a hill in the Yorkshire Dales. ... Wild Boar Fell is a mountain (or more accurately a fell) in Mallerstang on the eastern edge of Cumbria, England. ... A dale and parish in the south of Cumbria at the head of the Upper Eden Valley. ... Pen-y-ghent is a mountain in the Yorkshire Dales. ... Kinder Scout is a moorland plateau (and mountain) in the Dark Peak of the Derbyshire Peak District in England. ...

Dales

Airedale Airedale is a geographic area in Yorkshire, United Kingdom, corresponding to the river valley of the River Aire (pronounced air). ...

Nidderdale Upper Nidderdale Nidderdale is one of the Yorkshire Dales (although outside of the formal National Park area) in North Yorkshire, England. ...

Ribblesdale The River Ribble is a river that runs through North Yorkshire and Lancashire, in the North of England. ...

Teesdale Teesdale is a dale, or valley, of the east side of the Pennines in England. ...

Swaledale Swaledale is a dale, or valley, of the east side of the Pennines in the North Riding of Yorkshire, in England. ...

Weardale Weardale is a dale, or valley, of the east side of the Penis in County Durham, in England. ...

Wensleydale Wensleydale is the valley (dale) of the River Ure on the east side of the Pennines in North Yorkshire, England. ...

Demography

It is a relatively sparsely populated region by English standards.

Economy

The main economic activities include sheep farming, quarrying and tourism. Sheep husbandry is the raising and breeding of domestic sheep. ... For other uses, see Quarry (disambiguation). ... Tourist redirects here. ...

Settlements

Reeth Reeth is a small town in Yorkshire Dales where you are all fattys and will die Richmondshire district of North Yorkshire, England and principal settlement of Swaledale. ...

Hawes Hawes is a small market town in the Yorkshire Dales. ...

Thwaite Thwaite could be Thwaite, Norfolk, England Thwaite, Suffolk, England Thwaite St Mary, Norfolk, England Thwaite and Keld are Viking(Norse) place names in Yorkshire Dales N.P. Thwaite = clearance. ...

Muker Village View Muker is a hamlet in Swaledale, one of the Yorkshire Dales, England. ...

Stanhope The name Stanhope can refer to many places, people, and things. ...

Transport

The Pennines are traversed by the Leeds and Liverpool Canal and the M62 motorway. The Leeds and Liverpool Canal is a canal in the north of England running from Liverpool, Merseyside to Leeds, West Yorkshire. ... The M62 motorway is a west-east trans-Pennine motorway in northern England, connecting the cities of Liverpool and Hull. ...

History

A prehistoric settlement on Harkerside Moor in Swaledale.

Image File history File links Metadata No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links Metadata No higher resolution available. ...

Early Inhabitants

The area contains many examples of Bronze Age settlements, and evidence of Neolithic settlement (including many stone circles or henges, such as Long Meg and Her Daughters.) ^[4] The Bronze Age is a period in a civilizations development when the most advanced metalworking has developed the techniques of smelting copper from natural outcroppings and alloys it to cast bronze. ... An array of Neolithic artifacts, including bracelets, axe heads, chisels, and polishing tools. ... While not unique to Britain, stone circles are a very British type of monument. ... A henge is a circular or sub-circular prehistoric enclosure defined by a raised circular bank, and a circular ditch usually running inside the bank. ... Long Meg and Her Daughters, also known as Maughanby Circle is the name of a Bronze Age stone circle near Penrith in the English county of Cumbria. ...

See also

• Pennine Way
• Yorkshire three peaks
• Geology of the United Kingdom
• UK topics

Arthur Raistrick, 'The Pennine Dales', Eyre Methuen Ltd 1968, ISBN 041326760 The Pennine Way is a long-distance footpath in England. ... Ingleborough as seen from the summit of Whernside The mountains of Whernside (736 m), Ingleborough (723 m) and Pen-y-ghent (694 m) are collectively known as the (Yorkshire) Three Peaks. ... Geological map of Great Britain. ... This is a list of topics related to the United Kingdom. ...

References

1. ^ THE BACKBONE OF ENGLAND, W A POUCHER. Published in 1946 by Billing & Sons Ltd., Guilford and Esher.A Photographic and descriptive guide to the Pennine range from Derbyshire to Durham.
2. ^ Edwards, W. & Trotter, F.M., The Pennines and Adjacent Areas (Third Edition ed.), Handbooks on the Geology of Great Britain, London: HMSO (published 1954), ISBN 0 11 880720 X Page 1
3. ^ http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9059088/Pennines
4. ^ http://www.outofoblivion.org.uk/