Gazetteer of
British Place Names

The West Riding of Yorkshire is one of the Three Ridings of Yorkshire, the fundamental geographical and cultural divisions of the shire, creations of the Norse period from which Yorkshire itself arose. The West Riding is the largest and most populous ridings and the one with the greatest internal contrast. In the south-east of the West Riding are two major urban areas, around Leeds, Bradford and Wakefield and around Sheffield, Rotherham and Barnsley. Further north, some of the loveliest of the Yorkshire Dales are in the West Riding, including Nidderdale and Wharfdale. The West Riding stretches out westwards to Sedbergh, only 15 miles from the coast. Craven is a distinctive area of limestone hills. The Bowland Forest is a high moorland plateau from which becks flow both east and west. Saddleworth is an area of Yorkshire to the west of the Pennines. East of the Dales is the lowland Vale of York. Ripon has a fine cathedral. Harrogate is a popular spa town on the edge of the Vale. The Great Ouse is the border with the East Riding. The border with the North Riding follows the Ouse and Ure from York to Grewelthorpe, from whence it crosses many peaks to meet the Westmorland border at Swath Fell Pike.

Place Type: Division
Historic County: Yorkshire
Lat, Long: 53.767789,-1.676398
Grid Reference: SE 2142 3020

GBPN ID: 306053
GGA Code: C02000006
Entry Type: Main listing (P)
URL: https://gazetteer.org.uk/place/West_Riding,_Yorkshire_306053

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