Washburn Valley
| Washburn Valley | |
|---|---|
| Washburn Dale Washburndale | |
Swinsty Reservoir and Washburn Valley; the radar domes of RAF Menwith Hill are on the horizon | |
| Length | 16 mi (26 km) North-west to south-east |
| Geography | |
| Location | North Yorkshire |
| Country | England |
| Coordinates | 53°59′10″N 1°43′26″W / 53.986°N 1.724°W |
| River | River Washburn |
Interactive map of Washburn Valley | |
The Washburn Valley is a 16-mile (26 km) long dale in North Yorkshire, England. Although adjacent to the Yorkshire Dales National Park, the valley is not classed as one of the dales and is actually located within the Nidderdale AONB. The valley was historically in the West Riding of Yorkshire, but has been within North Yorkshire since 1974. The valley's main river is the Washburn which has been adapted for water storage and is host to four reservoirs which were originally built to supply water to Leeds. The presence of four large reservoirs led to the valley being referred to as the "Leeds' Lake District".