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The Swale is a tributary of the Ouse in Yorkshire. The River Swale begins on the high Pennine hills close to Tan Hill. Its main tributary flows through Birk Dale, and all of the headwaters meet to flow past the hamlet of Keld. Here the Swale is in limestone country and it falls over a number of delightful waterfalls.
Close to Keld another limestone feature, the dissolving of limestone, has produced the swallow holes, known as the Buttertubs, high above the valley, now called Swaledale. Swaledale rapidly widens, the valley sides having a stepped appearance which reflects the different hardnesses of the rocks that make up the fells (hills). The highest rocks are Millstone Grit. These make the hostile peat-covered moorland tops. Then there are weaker bands made mostly of shale and known as the Yoredale Beds. Then below them is a thick band of mountain limestone. Not only is this the source of the stone for all the buildings in this dale, but it is also responsible for the steep sides to the valley, the scars and gorges and waterfalls of the valley sides. The bottom part of the valley is filled with boulder clay left by ice sheets during the last Ice Age. The valley bottom is relatively wide and flat, and this is the land over which the Swale meanders as it moves through Muker and on to Fremington and then Richmond. Unlike the neighbouring Wensleydale and the River Ure to the south, the valley of the Swale has not attracted many people and there are no towns comparable to Hawes in Wensleydale. The only town occurs when the Swale leaves the dale and flows out toward the lowland at Richmond. Places on the Swale Richmond Richmond is located where the Pennine Swaledale joins the Vale of York. The site dates back at least to Roman times. The Norman castle at Richmond (began 1071) is placed strategically above the River Swale close to the crossing point which is now marked by Richmond Bridge. The castle became a very important medieval military center. It is still home to Catterick garrison. The market town grew up between the bridge and the castle. Richmond Bridge is still an important crossing point of the Swale. The town is in easy reach of the main Yorkshire dales and is an important tourist center.
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