A special place


The Yorkshire Dales landscape has many moods; it can be wild and windswept or quietly tranquil.


It includes some of the finest limestone scenery in the UK, from crags and pavements to an underground labyrinth of caves.


Each valley or ‘dale’ has its own distinct character, set against expansive heather moorland tops.


Stone-built villages sit amongst traditional farming landscapes of field barns, drystone walls and flower-rich hay meadows, and show how the area has been shaped over thousands of years by the people who have lived and worked here.


Spectacular waterfalls and ancient broadleaved woodland contrast with the scattered remains of former mine workings and other rural industries which remind us of the area’s rich industrial heritage.


Together, nature and people have created a special landscape of immense beauty and character.


Queue at the baa © www.rossmcginnes.com


We’re up for the challenge! A very warm welcome to the Yorkshire Dales National Park, whether you are a first time visitor, returning to a much-loved place or just wanting to enjoy happy memories through The Visitor 2012.


In this special Olympic year we are making sure we are also up to the challenge after what has been a very difficult 12 months.


Less money and fewer resources have inevitably affected the number - and level - of services we can provide. But we are here for the marathon, not for the sprint.


Our primary focus will remain on conservation and recreation, and as a smaller, leaner organisation we are determined to deliver those activities we continue to undertake in the best way possible, so that our beautiful Yorkshire Dales National Park can be a winning landscape well into the future.


We hope you will continue to make the most of this national treasure and help us to keep it special - these pages show the many ways that you too can play a part.


David Butterworth, Chief Executive, Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority


Help us keep the Dales special • Stay on rights of way, especially through fields and meadows, to reduce your impact on the landscape.


• Use your car less and think about other means of getting around.


Renowned for its great natural beauty, the diversity of its wildlife habitats, its rich cultural heritage and its fantastic opportunities for outdoor recreation, the Yorkshire Dales was designated a National Park in 1954.


Protected for future generations to enjoy, it is one of a family of 15 National Parks in the UK - truly Britain’s breathing spaces.


Covering 1,762 square kilometres (680 square miles), the Yorkshire Dales National Park straddles the central Pennines in North Yorkshire and Cumbria and is a living, working environment, home to 20,000 people.


It is administered by the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority and it’s our job to protect the natural beauty, wildlife and history of this special place and to help people understand and share in it.


To find out more - including how to get here, what to do and where to stay - visit www. yorkshiredales.org.uk or call in at one of our National Park Centres (see page 5).


• Stay overnight or shop locally rather than bringing food with you - this helps boost the local economy and ensures a sustainable future for those who live and work here.


• Respect the life and work of people who live here - remember much of the land is privately owned.


Visit the Yorkshire Dales National Park online at www.yorkshiredales.org.uk Page 3


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