Views of Yorkshire

Our March travel article takes us on long walks through the breathtaking Yorkshire countryside in northern England. Photojournalist Franz Marc Frei, from Bavaria, found this an excellent place to improve his English, by talking to his walking companions from Ramblers Countrywide Holidays.

The space around us

Early morning in the Yorkshire Dales. All photos: Franz Marc Frei

Most of us don't ever stop to think about how the space around us actually affects us. It affects each of us differently. One person might find a small room comfortable, while another finds it confining. To be out in the vast, open space of the Yorkshire Dales — far from any commercial centres, car parks or sources of noise — is, to my mind, very comforting.

Yorkshire Dales is Britain's third largest national park, so it comes as no surprise that strict rules regarding habitation and commercial activities apply.

But what does the name mean? The word "dale" comes from Old Norse and is related to the German word Tal. So I'm in the Yorkshire valleys.