Yorkshire Dales National Park facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Yorkshire Dales National Park |
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IUCN Category V (Protected Landscape/Seascape)
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National park entrance sign, near Skipton
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Location and extent of the Yorkshire Dales National Park, as of August 2016
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| Location | North Yorkshire, Cumbria & Lancashire, England |
| Area | 2,178 km2 (841 sq mi) |
| Max. elevation | Whernside 736 m (2,415 ft) |
| Designation | National Park |
| Established | 1954 |
The Yorkshire Dales National Park is a huge protected area in England. It covers about 2,178 km2 (841 sq mi) of land, mostly in North Yorkshire. Smaller parts are in Cumbria and Lancashire. This special park was created in 1954 and made even bigger in 2016.
Most of the land in the park (over 95%) is privately owned. There are more than 1,000 farms here. In 2020, the park was named an International Dark Sky Reserve. This means it has very little light pollution, making it a great place to see stars! Around 23,500 people live in the park. It attracts over four million visitors every year. The main ways people make a living here are through tourism and farming.
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Exploring the Yorkshire Dales National Park
The Yorkshire Dales National Park is about 50 miles (80 km) north-east of Manchester. Towns like Otley, Ilkley, Leeds, and Bradford are to the south. Kendal is to the west, and Harrogate is to the south-east. The national park doesn't cover all of the Yorkshire Dales. Some parts are in the Nidderdale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The park also includes the Howgill Fells and Orton Fells in the north-west.
History of the Park
The idea for the Yorkshire Dales National Park started in 1947. It was officially created in 1954. At first, it didn't include Nidderdale. Later, in 1997, the park's management was taken over by the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority. This group helps protect the park and makes sure people can enjoy it.
Park Expansion in 2016
In 2016, the park got much bigger! It expanded west into Lancashire and Cumbria. This added almost 24% more land to the park. The expansion brought the park closer to towns like Kirkby Lonsdale and Kirkby Stephen. It also included more of the Howgill Fells and Orton Fells. Before this, the park was only in the historic county of Yorkshire. The expansion added parts of historic Lancashire and Westmorland.
Fun Things to Do in the Park
The Yorkshire Dales National Park offers many activities for visitors. Lots of people come here for walking and hiking. There are several long-distance paths, like the Pennine Way and the Dales Way. Cycling is also very popular, with many special cycle routes.
You can even get around using the DalesBus service in summer. These buses help visitors explore the park and the Nidderdale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. They add to the regular bus services that run all year.
Tourism in the area was affected by the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and 2021. However, visits were expected to increase later in 2021. This was partly thanks to the TV show All Creatures Great and Small, which was filmed in the Dales. The show made many people want to visit the beautiful Yorkshire countryside.
The Dales Countryside Museum is a great place to learn about the area. It's located in the old Hawes railway station. The park also has five visitor centres where you can get information. These are at:
- Aysgarth Falls
- Grassington
- Hawes
- Malham
- Reeth
Other exciting places and sights to see in the National Park include:
- Bolton Castle
- Cautley Spout waterfall
- Gaping Gill (a huge pothole)
- Gayle Mill (a historic mill)
- Hardraw Force (another waterfall)
- Malham Cove, Gordale Scar, Janet's Foss and Malham Tarn (famous natural landmarks)
- The River Lune
- The Settle and Carlisle Railway with its amazing Ribblehead Viaduct
- The Yorkshire Three Peaks (Ingleborough, Pen-y-ghent and Whernside)
