Landscape

The Yorkshire Dales National Park has a sense of place that is unique. Its special qualities result from a combination of nature and culture, the beauty of the landscape and the way it has been shaped by people over time. It also includes the more intangible qualities appreciated by residents and visitors, such as peace, solitude, wildness, space, inspiration and the escape the National Park offers from urban living. 

In 2002, the Authority commissioned a comprehensive assessment of the landscape character of the Park.  Landscape character is defined as a distinct and recognisable pattern of elements that occur consistently in a particular type of landscape.  Patterns of geology, landform, soils and vegetation, land use, field patterns and human settlement combine together to create character.  At the broad scale, character makes each part of Britain distinctive and gives each its sense of place.  At the local scale there may be distinct character differences between different parts of a single valley or dale.

The report identified 40 distinct ‘landscape character areas’ on a dale-by-dale basis (and including separately identified upland character areas).  It describes their key characteristics and landscape character and the forces that have shaped the landscape of each dale or geographic area.

You can read the full landscape character assessments by clicking on the links below:

• Dales Character Areas
• Upland Character Areas

This landscape assessment, in combination with the Local Biodiversity Action Plan for the Dales and a forthcoming historic character assessment of the Dales will assist the greater understanding and appreciation of the special qualities of the National Park and guide future decision-making, policy and management.