Yorkshire Dales National Park

Yorkshire Dales National Park
Protected Area
National park entrance sign, near Skipton
Country United Kingdom
Constituent country England
Counties North Yorkshire, Cumbria
Highest point
 - location Whernside
 - elevation 736 m (2,415 ft)
Area 1,769 km2 (683 sq mi)
National Park of England 1954
IUCN category V - Protected Landscape/Seascape
Location and extent of the Yorkshire Dales National Park
Stone houses in Hawes, a typical example of Dales architecture
Limestone hills and dry-stone walls in the west of the Yorkshire Dales. This part of the national park is popular with walkers due to the presence of the Yorkshire three peaks.

In 1954, an area of 1,770 square kilometres (680 sq mi) of Yorkshire, England, was designated as the Yorkshire Dales National Park.[1] The park is 50 miles (80 km) north-east of Manchester; Leeds and Bradford lie to the south, while Kendal is to the west, Darlington to the north-east and Harrogate to the south-east.[2] The national park does not include all of the Yorkshire Dales. Parts of the dales to the south and east of the national park form the Nidderdale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

The recently-approved westward extension of the park into Lancashire and Cumbria will encompass much of the area between the current park and the M6 motorway, increasing the area by nearly 24% and coming close to the towns of Kirkby Lonsdale, Kirkby Stephen and Appleby-in-Westmorland.[3][4][5][6]

Over 20,000 residents live and work in the park, which attracts over eight million visitors every year.[7] The area has a large collection of activities for visitors. For example, many people come to the Dales for walking or exercise. The National Park is crossed by several long-distance routes including the Pennine Way, the Dales Way, the Coast to Coast Walk and the Pennine Bridleway.[8] Cycling is also popular and there are several cycleways.[9]

The Dales Countryside Museum is housed in the converted Hawes railway station in Wensleydale in the north of the area.[10] The park also has five visitor centres.[11] These are at:

Other places and sights within the National Park include:

References

  1. ↑ Ray Woolmore (May 2002). "Yorkshire Dales National Park" (PDF). Designation History Series. Natural England. Retrieved 11 May 2015.
  2. ↑ Welcome to the Yorkshire Dales National Park
  3. ↑ Natural England - Lakes to Dales Landscape Designation Project
  4. ↑ "BBC News - Yorkshire Dales National Park expansion plans agreed". 28 September 2011. Retrieved 29 September 2011.
  5. ↑ Yorkshire Post
  6. ↑ BBC website
  7. ↑ "Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority - Tourism Education file" (PDF). www.yorkshiredales.org.uk. Retrieved 20 September 2011.
  8. ↑ Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority - Things to do
  9. ↑ Cycle the Dales
  10. ↑ Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority - Dales Countryside Museum
  11. ↑ Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority - National Park Centres
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