About The Yorkshire Dales

The National Trust own 5 countryside properties across the Yorkshire Dales. The biggest 2 areas are Malham Tarn and Upper Wharfedale. The countryside is beautiful, dramatic, rich in nature, rich in history, and fantastic to visit. Our objective is to look after and enhance the countryside and experience and enjoyment of a wide range of visitors.

The different threads of this Blog will explain on a weekly basis how we are working towards our objectives, we will give you a behind the scenes experience, describe what and why we are doing things and show you how wonderful working and walking in the Dales is.

Our Blog

Our new Ecology and Wildlife Engagement officer will be blogging about the nature conservation value of our land and his work within it.

Our Ranger team will be blogging regularly about the variety of practical conservation jobs they undertake.

Our Building team will be blogging about how they are preserving the ancient building within the dales and about traditional methods used.

We have a large Ranger team who carry out practical conservation on a daily basis across all our sites. Our new Ecology and Wildlife Engagement officer along with the Ranger team have a great working relationship with our tenants.

The estates we look after

Malham Tarn covers 2,900 hectares, most of it was gifted to us in 1946. The area is high in historical and natural value. Most of the land is tenanted farm land and is managed within agri-environment schemes. Most visitors to the area come to walk, cycle, climb or for our regular events.

Upper Wharfedale covers 2,520 hectares which was gifted in 1989. The area is rich in archaeology including stone circles, burial mounds, mines and farming structures. The area covers a variety of habitats which are conserved and improved. Most visitors make the most of the network of footpaths, open access and events in the Dale.

Hudswell woods are a 54 hectare area a mile from Richmond town centre which was gifted in 1938. It consists mainly of semi-natural ancient woodland with about 10 hectares of grazing pasture. The area is very popular with dog walkers as there are 5 miles of footpath through the woodland and alongside the river.