Yorkshire Dales National Park

The Yorkshire Dales National Park was designated in 1954. This was in recognition of its extraordinary natural beauty, the diversity of its wildlife habitats, its rich cultural heritage and its fantastic opportunities for outdoor recreation.

Unlike the National Parks in the United States, the Yorkshire Dales is not a wilderness area. It is a living, working environment, home to 24,000 people.

Covering 2,179 square kilometres (841 square miles) the Yorkshire Dales National Park straddles the central Pennines in North Yorkshire and Cumbria and also includes a small part of Lancashire.

It includes some of the finest limestone scenery in the UK, from crags and pavements to an underground labyrinth of caves. Each valley or ‘dale’ has its own distinct character, set against expansive heather moorland tops.

Stone-built villages sit amongst traditional farming landscapes of field barns, drystone walls and flower-rich hay meadows, and show how the area has been shaped over thousands of years by the people who have lived and worked here. Spectacular waterfalls and ancient woodland contrast with the scattered remains of former mine workings and other rural industries which remind us of the area’s rich industrial heritage.

Together, nature and people have created a special landscape of immense beauty and character.

Bring the beautiful outdoors into your own home with our Yorkshire Dales National Park print.