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, Lancashire
Highest point
 - location Whernside
 - elevation 736 m (2,415 ft)
Area 2,178 km2 (841 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.

The Yorkshire Dales National Park is a 2,178 km2 (841 sq mi) national park in North Yorkshire, Cumbria and Lancashire, England. The park was designated in 1954, and was extended in 2016. Over 20,000 residents live and work in the park, which attracts over eight million visitors every year.[1]

Location

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.

History

In 1954, an area of Yorkshire was designated as a new national park.[3]

2016 extension

A westward extension of the park into Lancashire and Cumbria encompasses much of the area between the old boundaries of the park and the M6 motorway. This increases the area by nearly 24% and brings the park close to the towns of Kirkby Lonsdale, Kirkby Stephen and Appleby-in-Westmorland.[4][5][6][7][8] Prior to the expansion, the national park was solely in the historic county of Yorkshire, the expansion bringing in parts of historic Lancashire and Westmorland.

Tourism

The area has a wide range of activities for visitors. For example, many people come to the Dales for walking or other exercise. Several long-distance routes cross the park, including the Pennine Way, the Dales Way, the Coast to Coast Walk and the Pennine Bridleway.[9] Cycling is also popular and there are several cycleways.[10]

The Dales Countryside Museum is housed in the converted Hawes railway station in Wensleydale in the north of the area.[11] The park also has five visitor centres.[12] These are at:

Other places and sights within the National Park include:

References

  1. ↑ "Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority - Tourism Education file" (PDF). www.yorkshiredales.org.uk. Archived from the original (PDF) on 12 January 2012. Retrieved 20 September 2011.
  2. ↑ [email protected], Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority -. "Welcome to the Yorkshire Dales National Park".
  3. ↑ Ray Woolmore (May 2002). "Yorkshire Dales National Park" (PDF). Designation History Series. Natural England. Retrieved 11 May 2015.
  4. ↑ Natural England - Lakes to Dales Landscape Designation Project Archived 18 May 2012 at the Wayback Machine.
  5. ↑ "Yorkshire Dales National Park expansion plans agreed". BBC News. 28 September 2011. Retrieved 29 September 2011.
  6. ↑ "Dales and Lakes national parks to 'join up' - but leak reveals there's no new money". BBC News.
  7. ↑ "Yorkshire Dales and Lake District national parks to be extended".
  8. ↑ "Yorkshire Dales and Lake District national parks extend". BBC News.
  9. ↑ Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority - Things to do Archived 2 July 2010 at the Wayback Machine.
  10. ↑ Cycle the Dales
  11. ↑ Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority - Dales Countryside Museum Archived 26 July 2010 at the Wayback Machine.
  12. ↑ Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority - National Park Centres Archived 23 May 2010 at the Wayback Machine.

Media related to Yorkshire Dales National Park at Wikimedia Commons

Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Yorkshire Dales.
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