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Waymarking of the route of A Dales High Way began in April
2012 and is expected to be completed in 2013. Waymarking is
intended to aid route finding for walkers following A Dales High Way
and to help promote the route. However, walkers will not be able to follow
the route by using waymarks alone - a good guidebook and map are
essential. Walkers should certainly not expect to see
a waymark on every stile and gate along the way. In the main waymarks will
be placed on posts where the route leaves metalled roads and major
junctions, and at other places to help avoid confusion. There will be no
waymarking across the high fells - you will have to rely on your
navigation skills here.
BACKGROUND
Shortly after we published A Dales High Way Companion in
2009, we set our minds to exploring the possibility of waymarking the
route.
The route passes through an area covered by four authorities: Bradford
Metropolitan District Council, North Yorkshire County Council, The
Yorkshire Dales National Park and Cumbria County Council.
Both Bradford and North Yorkshire were quick to offer their full
support to the idea of waymarking the route (indeed, Bradford Council
proposed to Ordnance Survey that the route be included as a Long Distance
Recreational Path on future OS maps - a move agreed by OS subject to the
approval of all four authorities).
The Yorkshire Dales National Park were, however, more cautious and
asked us to produce a detailed "business plan" for the route.
This we did and in January 2010 published A Dales High Way
Development Plan.
We weren't the only ones looking to waymark a route through the
National Park - "A Pennine Journey" was published in 2010 and
its authors were also pressing the Park Authority.
So officers at the National Park Authority set about drawing up a
policy for such matters. The policy document Long Distance
routes; recognition and promotion was formally
approved by the Park Authority in October 2010. Cumbria County Council
adopted the same policy.
The policy laid out a set of criteria against which the merits of a new
route could be judged. A Dales High Way met all but
one:
"Permanence - Routes must be expected to last (i.e. to be
actively inspected and promoted) for a minimum of 5 years. Routes which
have been in existence for less than five years would only be waymarked in
exceptional circumstances."
 We
continued to monitor the route's use and as the end of our 5-year probation period approached, we prepared
an update
to our development plan setting out a proposed timetable for waymarking.
We also got approval from all four authorities on the design for the
waymarks which would be consistent along the route. This involves a
standard waymark design with central window to carry the Dales High Way
waymark logo.
Waymarking the route finally began in April 2012 with the erection of a
sign by Bradford Council at the entrance to the car park on Victoria Road, Saltaire, marking the start of
the route. Waymarking is expected to be
completed by the end of 2013.
In the meantime, with the help of Friends of A Dales High
Way, we continue to support, promote, improve and help maintain
the route.
If you have any comments on the Development Plan,
please get in touch by email.
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