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 identifies 40 distinct ‘landscape character areas’, of which 34 are on a dale-by-dale basis.  The remaining six are separately identified upland character areas.  Summaries of sections from the report that describe these areas and the forces that have shaped them, along with downloadable image based resources that detail the key characteristics of each area are available using the links below.  

Dales Character Areas

• Swaledale and Arkengarthdale
• Cumbrian Dales
• Wensleydale
• Craven Dales
• Malhamdale and south west fringe
• Wharfedale and Littondale

Upland Character Areas

• Southern Howgill Fells
• Yorkshire Moors and Fells

If you require more detailed information, the full report is available for download on the Landscape Character Assessment page of the Plans, strategies and policies section of this website.

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.