What's so special?

The interaction of people with nature through history has produced, in the Yorkshire Dales, a landscape of remarkable beauty, distinctive character and immense interest that is cherished and enjoyed by the nation.

The area’s uniqueness is created by the combination of many elements the most important of which are listed here.

These special qualities have been recognised by the nation as worth conserving for the enrichment of us all, and are valued by millions of people in this country and world wide.

Natural beauty

The area straddles the Pennines, the backbone of England. Geology and natural processes have been the fundamental force behind the creation of this familiar landscape and of the variety found within it. They are quite literally the bedrock of the Yorkshire Dales and have expression in numerous dramatic and impressive features.

This is an expansive area of hill country that rises in the Millstone Grit capped Three Peaks to over 2,300ft (700 metres). Rivers have cut deep valleys (dales) of which there are over 20 named examples, each distinctive in character and atmosphere.

• The south of the Park displays one of the best examples in Britain of classic limestone (Karst) scenery, with its crags, pavements, and extensive cave systems.
  
  
• The Park’s northern landscape is equally striking. Its valleys with distinctive stepped profiles, the product of differential weathering of the Yoredale Series, are separated by extensive moorland plateaux.
  
  
• To the west are The Howgills, a series of grassy rounded hills with deep ravines that result from different geology and contrast markedly in appearance from the rest of the Park.
  
  
• This is a landscape shaped by ice, with significant glacial and post-glacial landforms and features, notably drumlin fields such as that at Ribblehead, erratics including those at Norber, moraines and post-glacial lakes of Semerwater and Malham Tarn.
  
  
• Spectacular waterfalls, such as Hardraw Force with its 90ft (27 metre) single drop, the famous series of Aysgarth Falls, Cautley Spout with a broken drop of 600ft (180 metres),  Thornton Force with its geological uncomformity, and numerous cascading streams bring movement and sound.

Wildlife

Geology, natural processes and human influence have created the particular conditions that now support a rich and diverse wildlife heritage. This is one of the most valuable parts of the United Kingdom and has the largest area of nationally and internationally important habitats of any National Park. Its most significant habitats and wildlife include the following.

• The Yorkshire Dales is renowned for its flower-rich hay meadows and pastures, which are the product of traditional, low intensity management of grazing land over many decades. These are now very scarce nationally, this being one of the few areas where they survive in any number.
  
  
• There is a direct link between the geology of the southern Dales and the range of rare limestone habitat found here. Its limestone country is of international biodiversity importance, including rare wet meadows and pastures, limestone pavement and limestone woodland and scrub.
  
  
• The extensive watersheds, notably in the north of the Park, contain upland heath, mainly heather moorland, mostly managed as grouse moor, and areas of blanket and raised bog. These habitats cover vast areas and contain a variety of plant species.
  
  
• Woodland is a scarce yet important component of the landscape and of its mosaic of habitats. Areas are generally small, representing remnants of former more extensive broadleaved woodland or later plantings. They are crucial to scenic beauty and contribute to the different character of each dale, whilst surviving areas of ancient woodland are of particularly high biodiversity value.
  
  
• In terms of species there are nationally important populations of breeding waders, Black Grouse, Yellow Wagtail and Skylark; rare and scarce lime-loving plants such as Bird’s Eye Primrose, Rigid Buckler Fern and Globeflower and Baneberry; and rare and scarce invertebrates such as the Northern Brown Argus butterfly and the Atlantic White-Clawed Crayfish.
  
  

For more information on the wildlife of the Dales take a look at our Nature in the Dales pages.

Cultural heritage

Despite its harsh and challenging conditions the Dales has supported communities and industry over several millennia. Owing to the slow rate of change, evidence of generations of occupation and activity survive in the landscape as a palimpsest, providing an intriguing record of the area’s social and economic history. The extent and range of this survival is exceptional.

• Livestock farming over several centuries produced a traditional pastoral landscape much of which survives. This historic landscape is of great beauty and acknowledged as of international importance, comprising:

an intricate network of drystone walls that create a patchwork of enclosures across valleys and valley sides;

traditional stone-built field barns, the density of which in some parts of the Dales, notably Swaledale, Wharfedale and Wensleydale, is unique;

traditional herb-rich hay meadows the spectacle of which draws many visitors to the Dales in early summer.

• The area’s long history of livestock farming has given rise to distinct sheep breeds and its tradition of cheese making. Livestock farming, sheep in particular, is deeply interwoven into Dales life and culture, with sheep rearing, livestock sales and local agricultural shows playing an important part in the lives of its people.
  
  
• The range, importance and condition of its archaeology is exceptional, recording continuity of human activity from the Palaeolithic to its 19th and 20th century industrial remains.
  
  
• The legacy of former rural industries adds to the character and interest of its landscape. Their influences on the area’s culture and social fabric are still evident today.  The Park is scattered with the remains of former mineral extraction and processing sites, especially lead and lime industry remains, whilst its many mills are imposing reminders of how the area’s resources were harnessed.
  
  
• Traditional Dales architecture is distinctive and through the local building materials used it links directly to the area’s geology. This strong identity generates a strong sense of place and history.
  
  
• The Dales is characterised by numerous small, attractive and compact villages and hamlets most of which have been there for over a thousand years. They are still largely unspoilt and retain a very traditional and intimate atmosphere as well as a sense of continuity and stability. Many are still bordered by small, ancient, often unimproved fields accessed by narrow lanes and tracks between meandering stone walls, giving the villages an historic, timeless setting.
  
  
• The Settle-Carlisle Railway Line is unique and displays impressive engineering and conserved Midland Railway architecture. It offers a very special way of enjoying the dramatic landscape along its route.
  
  
• The Dales has managed to retain its network of meandering valley roads, bordered by drystone walls or hedgerows and flower-rich verges. These have a particular charm and add to the strong sense of place. Higher up unfenced roads cross open moorland and offer dramatic panoramas across the open landscape and the valleys below.
  
  
• The way of life and culture of communities was in the past shaped by the area’s physical environment and remoteness nurturing self-dependency and closely knit communities. Whilst the area’s traditional dialects and culture are now hard to find, community spirit and self-belief survive. Despite external influences and pressures of the modern world, and the influx of residents from far and wide, strength of ‘place’, continuity and history still shape and influence Dales’ communities today.

For more information on the historic environment of the Yorkshire Dales visit our Out of Oblivion website (opens in new window).

Enjoying the experience of being there

Most of the many people who come to the Park will experience a range of emotions, triggered by its beauty, grandeur and less tangible qualities. These all help create the ‘spirit of place’ that is unique to the Dales. This impacts differently on different people, as the experience is personal to the individual.

High on the list of elements that inspire are those that touch and excite the senses, the sounds, sights and qualities that stir the emotions, allow people to relate to nature and to enhance true enjoyment. The following add to making the Dales very special.

• There are extensive areas where a true sense of tranquillity, remoteness and a sense of solitude can still be found, which is rare in England today.
  
  
• This tranquillity is enhanced by the natural sounds of wind, water and birdsong. These are important to the re-creational experience, the ‘spiritual exercise and enjoyment’ to which Dower and Hobhouse referred in their 1940s reports that laid the foundation for National Park designation in this country.
  
  
• With its open fells and numerous valleys the Dales offers expansive views that show to advantage the area’s beauty and variety.
  
  
• Ever-changing light, seasonal change and occasional severe weather create visual drama and contrast that enhance personal experience.
  
  
• The Dales is special in retaining the darkness of night across much of its area because it suffers from limited light pollution. The moon, night sky and atmospheric effects can be fully appreciated.
  
  
• Fresh air, clear water and clean environment are notable and enhance the area’s appeal for healthy exercise, refreshing the body and the spirit.
  
  
• The area is important for the range and quality of natural resources it offers for outdoor recreation and its opportunities for accessing them. In particular its historic and extensive network of footpaths, bridleways and tracks, supplemented by extensive areas of public access, provide opportunities for quiet enjoyment.