News en route
Recognition for man who created National Parks
This year's 75th anniversary of the birth of National Parks
was further celebrated by the dedication of a blue plaque to
John Dower - the man who came up with the idea.
Dower was the civil servant who wrote the National Parks
and Access to the Countryside Act in 1945 whilst living in Malham,
and the plaque was unveiled on the Youth hostel where the idea
was conceived.
Dower's youngest son, Robin, unveiled the plaque dedicated to
his father alongside the minister for access at the Department
of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), Baroness Hayman.
David Butterworth, chief executive officer of the Yorkshire
Dales National Park Authority, said Mr Dower "knew there was a
popular desire for National Parks in a post-war nation.
"The story of the Dower family deserves this recognition, in
this 75th anniversary year of the National Parks Act, and 70th
anniversary of the Yorkshire Dales National Park.”
Photo shows from left - Robin Dower, Baroness Hayman,
Margaret Hart (Chair, YHA), James Blake and David Butterworth.
19 Nov 2024
Dark Skies Fringe Festival
The Yorkshire Dales Dark Skies Festival, run jointly with the
North York Moors National Park, is celebrating its 10th
anniversary, with a special Fringe Festival running this month.
The annual festival, which runs from February to March each
year, also marks the 5th anniversary of the Yorkshire Dales
being designated as an International Dark Sky Reserve – a
prestigious title awarded by Dark Sky (formerly International
Dark-Sky Association). It's one of only 22 locations worldwide
recognised for its pristine, dark skies.
The Festival has become a highlight on the calendar, offering
visitors the chance to explore and marvel at the beauty of the
night sky
As part of the Fringe Festival, The National
Park Authority is hosting a training event on Dark Sky Reserve
Lighting in the Yorkshire Dales.
This free event on 11 November is aimed at local
businesses, tradespeople, landowners, and holiday accommodation
providers within the Yorkshire Dales National Park. The
presentation will focus on best practices for minimizing light
pollution and the importance of proper lighting practices to
preserve our dark skies, wildlife, ecosystems, and human health.
21 October 2024
Friend's Autumn Newsletter
This year's newsletter from the Friends of A Dales High Way
is now available to download.
The newsletter provides a brief review of the year's events
and developments along the route.
There is a roundup of improvements to the trail - this year
focussed mainly on the first stage between Saltaire and Skipton,
with thanks to rangers at Bradford Council's Countryside Service
and volunteers from the Friend's of Ilkley Moor.
Community action from the residents of Dent village looks
likely to save the iconic Sun Inn from closure, but this year's
Ultra Marathon along the route looks like it may be the last for a while.
Iconic Appleby Castle is up for sale for anyone with £9
million to spare.
Best selling author David Nicholls, whose latest novel is set
on the Coast to Coast Walk, talks about his love for lone
long-distance walking and why A Dales High Way is one of his
favourites.
There's also a chance to bake yourself a yummy crunchy
chocolate and nutty treat, the Saltairey Appleby Cake, to
give you an energy boost and keep
you going on those long days along the trail.
Finally, we asked a guest editor in the shape of an AI
Assistant, what they thought of A Dales High Way. The answer may
surprise you.
17 Sept 2024
Step Repairs on Ilkley Moor
The knee crunching descent from Ilkley Moor has just got a
lot easier for walkers on A Dales High Way,
thanks to volunteers from the Friends of Ilkley Moor (FoIM).
The rough, steep stone steps, known locally as "Jacob's
Ladder" which lead from the rim of Ilkley Moor down to
White Wells have finally received the makeover they've been
waiting for, probably since Victorian times.
Owen Wells, chair of the Friends, said " This is probably the
most difficult task our volunteers have tackled. The steps will
remain a tribute to their resourcefulness and determination for
years to come."
Richard Perham of Bradford Council's Countryside Service
provided the materials - mainly wood for the timber rises and 3
tons of hardcore - and a team of volunteers from the FoIM did
the hard work. Between 10 and 15 volunteers worked on the
upgrade for 8 consecutive Tuesdays, starting in mid-June –
reckoned to be around 250 hours of labour in total.
Richard Perham, said "It’s been great working with the
volunteers on this project. It was planned and designed by
them and has been a catalyst to get the steps repaired. It
looked like a daunting task, but the skill and hard work of the
group has created a much safer and easier-to-use flight of steps
on this right of way across the moor."
18 Aug 2024
90 miles across the glorious high country of the Yorkshire Dales
