National Character Area 21

Yorkshire Dales - Key Facts & Data

Landscape and nature conservation designations section contains a map

Note that numbers and figures in the body of the text are based on the 2014 profiles, unless otherwise stated. The maps contain live frequently updated datasets.

71 per cent of the area or 170,809 ha falls within the Yorkshire Dales National Park (YDNP). 17 per cent of the area or 39,195 ha falls within the Nidderdale Area of Outstanding National Beauty (AONB).


Designated nature conservation sites

The NCA includes the following statutory nature conservation designations (Natural England, Special Protection Areas; Special Area of Conservation; Ramsars; National Nature Reserves; Sites of Special Scientific Interest and Local Nature Reserves, 2021):

Please note: (i) Designated areas may overlap (ii) all figures are cut to Mean High Water Line, designations that span coastal/marine areas below this line will not be included.

Condition of designated sites
All designated sites within England are covered by Sites of Scientific Interest (SSSI) units. The condition to these SSSI units within the NCA are as follows (Natural England, Sites of Special Scientific Interest Units, 2021; 2023):



Landscape and nature conservation designations map for NCA21

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Landform, geology and soils section contains a map

Note that numbers and figures in the body of the text are based on the 2014 profiles, unless otherwise stated. The maps contain live frequently updated datasets.

Elevation

Elevation ranges from 39 m to 736 m (summit of Whernside) (Yorkshire Dales Countryside Character area description).

Landform and process

Large-scale upland landscape of high, exposed moorland dissected by dales which are often deep and broad. Distinctively ‘stepped’ sides to some of the valleys resulting from the Yoredale series are characteristic. Millstone Grit caps some of the higher hills, especially those in the north and east. There is a typical karst landscape to the west and south with limestone outcrops, limestone pavements, scarps and gritstone erratics. The Craven Fault lines in the south and west create dramatic landforms where the limestone uplands lie on top of the Askrigg block showing unconformity. Distinctive drumlins formed during the last ice age can be found at the top of Ribblesdale (Yorkshire Dales Countryside Character area description).

Bedrock geology

The Yorkshire Dales are a glaciated, upland landscape of rounded hills and moors separated by broad, often U shaped, valleys cut into Carboniferous rocks of limestone, millstone grit and shale. Geologically the south-west of the area is considered to be outstanding for its ‘karst’ (limestone) landforms, cave systems and exposures of Carboniferous rocks (Yorkshire Dales Countryside Character area description; Yorkshire Dales Natural Area Profile; British Geological Survey maps).

Superficial deposits

There are no drift deposits across much of the higher land. Diamicton covers 28 per cent, while peat and peaty soils (17 per cent) cover much of the high ground. On ground below 300 m shallow, free-draining loamy soils cover much of the limestone. In areas to the north and west, more associated with sandstone, sandy and loamy soils are found (Yorkshire Dales Countryside Character area description; Yorkshire Dales Natural Area Profile; British Geological Survey maps).

Designated geological sites

The NCA includes the following geological sites (Natural England, Geological and Mixed Sites of Special Scientific Interest, 2021):

wdt_ID NCA_ID NAME NCAAreaHa Interest type Area (ha) 2021 Percent of NCA (2021) Count
2361NORTH NORTHUMBERLAND COASTAL PLAIN37,669.6Geological6.80.01
2371NORTH NORTHUMBERLAND COASTAL PLAIN37,669.6Mixed1,029.52.75
2382NORTHUMBERLAND SANDSTONE HILLS72,694.6Geological45.40.14
2393CHEVIOT FRINGE51,591.3Geological17.10.02
2404CHEVIOTS36,487.9Geological165.00.52
2414CHEVIOTS36,487.9Mixed3,488.99.61
2425BORDER MOORS AND FORESTS127,155.9Geological85.70.18
2435BORDER MOORS AND FORESTS127,155.9Mixed35.80.01
2446SOLWAY BASIN98,350.4Geological7.20.02
2456SOLWAY BASIN98,350.4Mixed5,569.25.74

Soils and Agriculture Classification

There is strong distinction between the northern gritstone dales and the moorland with their predominately acidic soils, with deeper soils of the western fringe area and the limestone to the south and west. The shallow lime-rich soils have developed over underlying limestone rocks. The thin soils, high altitude and high annual precipitation all contribute towards very poor soils thus almost 75 per cent of the soils are grade 5, as noted in the Agricultural Land Classification (Yorkshire Dales Countryside Character area description; Yorkshire Dales Natural Area Profile).

The main grades of agricultural land in the NCA are broken down as follows (as a proportion of total land area) (Natural England, Provisional Agricultural Land Classification, 2019):


Landform, geology and soils map for NCA21

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Key waterbodies and catchments section contains a map

Note that numbers and figures in the body of the text are based on the 2014 profiles, unless otherwise stated. The maps contain live frequently updated datasets.

Major rivers/canals

The following major rivers/canals (by length) have been identified in this NCA (Natural England, data informing the 2014 National Character Area Profiles, 2010):

wdt_ID REF_CODE NAME_1 Name Length (km) SumOfShape_Length
11NORTH NORTHUMBERLAND COASTAL PLAINRiver Aln7.67,587.2
21NORTH NORTHUMBERLAND COASTAL PLAINRiver Coquet5.55,516.0
31NORTH NORTHUMBERLAND COASTAL PLAINWhiteadder Water2.92,904.9
410NORTH PENNINESBlack Burn11.911,853.4
510NORTH PENNINESCroglin Water10.010,042.3
610NORTH PENNINESCrowdundle Beck4.34,337.4
710NORTH PENNINESDevil's Water20.520,464.6
810NORTH PENNINESHarwood Beck9.79,740.2
910NORTH PENNINESRiver Allen4.94,889.0
1010NORTH PENNINESRiver Derwent15.315,268.4

Please note: other significant rivers (by volume) may also occur. Tidal stretches of rivers are not included, which may include some major rivers.

The NCA is the source of 21 major rivers and becks totalling 293 km. Most of the large rivers in the Yorkshire Dales NCA flow west to east and eventually feed into the River Ouse. Other rivers rise and flow to the west, such as the River Dee through Dentdale and Clough River through Garsdale. The largest river in the west is the Ribble which flows in a south-westerly direction to eventually flow into the Irish Sea. The valleys are wide and deep, typically U shaped, although in places the upper reaches of the rivers cut through very narrow gills with steep cliffs such as at Ling Gill (a tributary of the Ribble) and Pen-y-ghent Gill, a tributary of the River Skirfare which runs through Littondale.

Water quality

Nitrate Vulnerable Zones (NVZs) are areas designated as being at risk from agricultural nitrate pollution. These can impact surface water (waterbodies and waterways located above ground) and groundwater (water bodies and waterways located below ground).

Waterbodies such as lakes can also be designated as “eutrophic waters” if the enrichment of the waterbody by nitrate pollution causes accelerated growth of algae, impacting the quality of the water and the balance of organisms within it.

The following NVZs are located within the NCA (Environment Agency, Nitrate Vulnerable Zones Designations, 2021):

Water framework directive

River basin management plans cover river basin districts and describe the challenges that threaten the water environment and how these challenges can be managed and funded. The plans include the classification of water quality of surface waters and ground waters.



Click on the Water Framework Directive layers on the below map to view the corresponding river names.

Key waterbodies and catchments map for NCA21

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Trees and woodlands section contains a map

Note that numbers and figures in the body of the text are based on the 2014 profiles, unless otherwise stated. The maps contain live frequently updated datasets.

Total woodland cover

Ancient woodland is any area that has been wooded continuously since at least 1600 AD. National Forest Inventory (NFI) woodland includes all forests and woodlands (0.5 hectares and over). The total woodland cover within the NCA is as follows (Forestry Commission, National Forest Inventory, 2020; 2023; Natural England, Ancient Woodland, 2021; 2024; this does not consider Natural England’s ‘Ancient Woodland – Revised (England) – Completed Counties’ data as this is being updated in tranches and no full dataset is yet available):

Distribution and size of woodland and trees in the landscape

Many of the remnant ancient woodlands are confined to the steep valley sides with some of the larger woodlands found in the upper reaches of rural dales such as upper Wharfedale, Littondale and Wensleydale. Native species consist mainly of ash, sessile oak, rowan and hazel and smaller areas of juniper. Many woods are in a poor condition due to lack of management and grazing pressure from sheep and rabbits. There are also remnant ancient woodlands on limestone pavement and small pockets on the steep gill sides such as at Ling Gill NNR. There are a few large blocks of conifer plantations on the moorland sides especially in the western dales of upper Ribblesdale and Widdale and upper Nidderdale. Some plantations have been totally removed and are being replanted with mixed species whereas some are not being replanted, such as on the Malham Estate on Darnbrook Fell. This area is being left to regenerate back to blanket bog (Yorkshire Dales Countryside Character area description; Yorkshire Dales Natural Area Profile).

Woodland types

A statistical breakdown of the area and type of woodland found across the NCA is detailed below (Forestry Commission, National Forest Inventory, 2020; 2023):

Area and proportion of ancient woodland and planted ancient woodland sites (PAWS) within the NCA (Natural England, Ancient Woodland, 2021; 2024):


Trees and woodlands map for NCA21

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Boundary features and patterns

Note that numbers and figures in the body of the text are based on the 2014 profiles, unless otherwise stated.

Boundary features

Field boundaries are generally distinctive drystone walls, enclosing large, rectilinear fields on the higher fells and smaller, older and irregular fields within the dales and particularly around villages. The estimated boundary length for the NCA is 8,987 km. Hedgerows are the more typical field boundary in Dentdale. There has been an increase in the number of drystone walls with top wire attached to them to heighten the wall to stop sheep jumping over. Walls often stretch up the valley sides at right angles to the valley which is a characteristic feature of the dales. There is a strong pattern of wall styles throughout the dales (Yorkshire Dales Countryside Character area description; Yorkshire Dales Natural Area Profile; Countryside Quality Counts 2003).

Field patterns

The fell tops are largely unenclosed although some have been divided into large allotments with the lower slopes having larger enclosed fields. Fields are typically large and rectilinear on the higher fells with smaller, older and irregular shaped fields within the dales and particularly around villages (Yorkshire Dales Countryside Character area description; Yorkshire Dales Natural Area Profile; Countryside Quality Counts 2003).

Agriculture section contains a map

Note that numbers and figures in the body of the text are based on the 2014 profiles, unless otherwise stated. The maps contain live frequently updated datasets.

The following tables provide the most recently available statistics from Defra on agriculture within the NCA.

Farm type

The following farm types are located within this NCA (Defra, Structure of the agricultural industry in England and the UK at June, 2025):

Farm size

The following table outlines the sizes of farms within the NCA (Defra, Structure of the agricultural industry in England and the UK at June, 2025):

Farm ownership

The following table outlines the ownership of farms within the NCA (Defra, Structure of the agricultural industry in England and the UK at June, 2025):

Land use

The following table outlines the types of agricultural land use within the NCA (Defra, Structure of the agricultural industry in England and the UK at June, 2025):

Livestock numbers

The following livestock are farmed within the NCA (Defra, Structure of the agricultural industry in England and the UK at June, 2025):

Farm labour

The following table outlines the types of farm labour within the NCA (Defra, Structure of the agricultural industry in England and the UK at June, 2025):

Please note: (i) Some of the Census data are estimated by Defra so may not present a precise assessment of agriculture within this area (ii) Data refers to commercial holdings only (iii) Data includes land outside of the NCA where it belongs to holdings whose centre point is recorded as being within the NCA.



Note that the below map only shows agri-environment scheme coverage, and not other schemes.

Agriculture map for NCA21

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Key habitats and species section contains a map

Note that numbers and figures in the body of the text are based on the 2014 profiles, unless otherwise stated. The maps contain live frequently updated datasets.

Habitat distribution/coverage

Blanket bog and upland heath cover large expanses of the uplands of the NCA. Lowland calcareous grasslands are found on the shallow lime-rich soils usually over limestone rocks, mostly in the south and west of the area together with limestone pavement with smaller areas dotted elsewhere. Upland calcareous grasslands are generally found in the south-west of the area and above 250m and are managed by grazing. The sheltered valleys have more fertile soils and grasses, grazed for silage and cropped for hay. Upland hay meadows are mostly restricted to the valley bottoms at an altitude of between 200 and 400 m, Wensleydale, Wharfedale, Littondale and Swaledale all having fine examples of this important habitat. Broadleaved woodland is restricted to the steeper slopes of some of the upper valleys and narrow gills and gorges. Some notable woods are found in Upper Wensleydale, Littondale, Swaledale and Colsterdale in Upper Nidderdale.

Much of the habitat is priority habitat covering 96,205 ha or 40 per cent of the NCA. On the high ground, over one third of the area is blanket bog with extensive areas of upland heath, 14 per cent, interspersed with small areas of dry acid grassland, 7 per cent, upland calcareous grassland, 3 per cent, and smaller areas of purple moor grass, just 190 ha. Upland hay meadows are also a priority habitat with 399 ha found in the area. The blanket bog consists of typical upland species with sphagnum mosses and in the wetter, calcareous flushes in lower areas, birds-eye primrose is common.

The Craven area has large areas of limestone pavement – some of the best in the UK – with smaller areas of pavement elsewhere. Limestone pavement is a key habitat of international importance covering nearly 1 per cent of the NCA; half of the UK’s limestone pavement is found in this area.

Woodlands are confined to the steep valley sides and limestone pavements, where grazing is restricted. Broadleaved woodland covers 4,268 ha or 2 per cent of the area and is mostly fragmented upland woodland of ash and oak with hazel understorey. There are larger woodlands of mixed species such as Grass Wood near Grassington and Strid Wood part of the Bolton Abbey Estate. Conifer woodland covers more than 5,000 ha, again 2 per cent of the area, but is gradually being felled and replaced with mixed species or not replanted.

Internationally important assemblages of birds are found on the high moorland with curlew, golden plover and merlin while black grouse are found in the northern areas on the valley slopes. Peregrine falcon and raven are found on the cliffs and old quarries while lapwing and the decreasing yellow wagtail is still found in the valleys where cattle feed (Yorkshire Dales Natural Area Profile).

Key Habitats

The NCA contains the following areas of key main habitats, as mapped by the national Priority Habitat Inventory (Natural England, Priority Habitats Inventory, 2021; 2024; Natural England, Wood Pasture and Parkland, 2020). Note: lakes and ponds were not included in 2021 data:






Key habitats and species map for NCA21

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Settlement and development patterns section contains a map

Note that numbers and figures in the body of the text are based on the 2014 profiles, unless otherwise stated. The maps contain live frequently updated datasets.

Settlement patterns

Villages tend to be nucleated and focused on key transport routes and at bridging points. Most of the dales have villages and settlements in them with isolated farmsteads in the upper parts of the dales. Key villages, such as Hawes and Kettlewell, are situated in the heart of the NCA. Larger settlements – Settle, Grassington and Pateley Bridge – are situated at the lower ends of the dales where access is easier than remote areas higher up the dales. On the borders with other NCAs are market towns and larger settlements, such as Ingleton, Settle and Skipton (Yorkshire Dales Countryside Character Area description; Countryside Quality Counts 2003).

Main settlements

The main settlements within the NCA are: Skipton, Settle, Pateley Bridge, Hawes, Grassington, Ingleton, Gargrave, Long Preston, Hellifield, Threshfield, Embsay, Kettlewell, Horton-in-Ribblesdale, Reeth, Dent, Starbotton and Austwick (Yorkshire Dales Countryside Character Area description; Countryside Quality Counts 2003).

Local vernacular and building materials

There are many traditional farm buildings distributed throughout the NCA, many dating from the 16th century and some even earlier. The main building materials tend to be local stone commonly found in the area; millstone grit, sandstone or limestone, with sandstone flags used for roofing materials. There are some fine traditional barns still in use, many with intricate stone work around doorways. Some buildings constructed with timber frames, often cruck-framed buildings, survive such as the pub in Appletreewick in Wharfedale (Yorkshire Dales Countryside Character Area description; Countryside Quality Counts 2003).

Settlement and development patterns map for NCA21

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Key historic sites and features section contains a map

Note that numbers and figures in the body of the text are based on the 2014 profiles, unless otherwise stated. The maps contain live frequently updated datasets.

Origin of historic features

The Yorkshire Dales were extensively cleared of woodland with the first evidence of settlement dating back to the Mesolithic period particularly around Swaledale and Malham. Neolithic and bronze-age settlers extended the process further and there is evidence of Neolithic henge monuments at Castle Dykes and Yarmbury.

Extensive and well preserved evidence from the Bronze Age is found in the shape of burial mounds and rectilinear field systems visible near Grassington.

Evidence of late iron-age/Romano-British settlements can be seen, especially at Ribblesdale and Wharfedale with earthworks of farmsteads and strip lynchets field systems dating to before the 10th century.

The 9th to 11th centuries saw fields grouped around valley floor settlements and from the 12th century, colonisation by peasant farmers with isolated farmsteads developed and extended across the area.

Remains of ore workings are visible around the northern dales of Swaledale and Arkengarthdale especially spoil heaps from lead mining activities dating back to the Roman and medieval periods. There is further evidence of coal mining and lime burning in the shape of lime kilns active up to the end of the 19th century (Countryside Quality Counts; Yorkshire Dales Draft Historic Profile; Yorkshire Dales Countryside Character Area description).

Designated historic assets

The NCA includes the following designated historic assets (Historic England, National Heritage List for England, 2021; 2024):

Listed buildings

The NCA includes the following listed buildings (Historic England, National Heritage List for England, 2021; 2024):

Heritage at Risk Register

The NCA includes the following designated historic assets listed within the Heritage at Risk Register (Historic England, Heritage at Risk Register, 2021; 2023):



Key historic sites and features map for NCA21

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Recreation and access section contains a map

Note that numbers and figures in the body of the text are based on the 2014 profiles, unless otherwise stated. The maps contain live frequently updated datasets.

Public access

The following areas of public access for recreation are located within this NCA (Natural England, 2021; National Trust, 2021):


Please note: Public access areas may overlap.
The following linear routes or public access for recreation are located within this NCA (Natural England, 2021; Sustrans; 2021):

Recreation and access map for NCA21

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Experiential qualities

Note that numbers and figures in the body of the text are based on the 2014 profiles, unless otherwise stated.

Tranquillity

Based on the CPRE map of Tranquillity (2006) the vast majority of the NCA and higher ground are very tranquil. Less tranquil areas are those associated with settlements like Pateley Bridge, and along the south and west sides close to main roads.

A breakdown of tranquillity values for this NCA are detailed in the table below (CPRE, Tranquillity Map, 2006):

Dark skies

Light pollution is a generic term referring to artificial light that shines where it is neither wanted nor needed, and can impact on people’s experience of the countryside within the NCAs. CPRE host an interactive map, depicting the light pollution and dark skies within the NCA.

Intrusion

The 2007 Intrusion Map (CPRE) shows the extent to which rural landscapes are ‘intruded on’ from urban development, noise (primarily traffic noise), and other sources of visual and auditory intrusion. This shows that the vast majority of the NCA and higher ground are very tranquil. Less tranquil areas are those associated with settlements like Pateley Bridge, and along the south and west sides close to main roads.

A breakdown of intrusion values for this NCA is detailed in the table below (CPRE, Intrusion Map, 2007):

Notable trends from the 1960s to 2007 are that little changed, most notable changes being associated with the larger conurbations to the south of the NCA.