National park · United Kingdom
Yorkshire Dales National Park
Entry is free and there is no road toll: drive in, park for £5–10 a day, and walk. Do the Malham circuit (4–5 h) or one Three Peaks summit (4–6 h) on a dry day; skip the car parks after 10:00 on summer weekends.Entry is free and there is no road toll: drive in, park for £5–10 a day, and walk. Do the Malham circuit (4–5 h) or one Three Peaks summit (4–6 h) on a dry day; skip the car parks after 10:00 AM on summer weekends.
- Source checked
- A source and a date are on record: we read it from an official or published page. Not yet confirmed on the ground.
- Field checked
- Someone checked it on the ground, with the date shown.
- Plan calculated
- Worked out by Voykit from its own data (times, distances, budgets). A calculation, not a measurement.
Unknown times stay unknown. How we verify
Map to the park
Add your hotel to get directions from it. · stays in this browser; shared with the pocket card.
Area
2,178 km² (841 sq mi)841 sq mi (2,178 km²)
approximate
Established
1954
Best months
May–Jun, Sep
UNESCO
None
Rules in force · 8Non-EU visitors get 90 days in any rolling 180-day window…
- Europe ↗Non-EU visitors get 90 days in any rolling 180-day window, counted across all 29 Schengen states together — not per country; the Entry/Exit System now logs each crossing, so an overstay is detected automatically.
- Europe ↗On the first Schengen entry since EES began, non-EU travellers give four fingerprints and a face photo at the border instead of a passport stamp; there is nothing to apply for or pay in advance.
- Britain and Ireland ↗Neither the UK nor Ireland is part of Schengen: days spent here do not count towards the 90/180-day Schengen limit, and a Schengen visa does not admit you to either country.
- Britain and Ireland ↗The island of Ireland runs on two currencies: euro in the Republic, pound sterling in Northern Ireland and Great Britain. Carry a card that pays in both without fees.
- Britain and Ireland ↗Both islands drive on the left. Speed limits are in miles per hour in the UK (including Northern Ireland) and in kilometres per hour in the Republic of Ireland.
- United Kingdom ↗Most visitors who do not need a UK visa now need an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) before travelling; this includes EU nationals. Irish citizens are exempt. Check the UK government site for your passport.
- United Kingdom ↗The UK is outside the EU and the Schengen area; a Schengen visa is not valid for the UK.
- United Kingdom ↗Driving is on the left; London has congestion and emissions charges for most vehicles, so do not drive in the city.
At a glance
- Country
- United Kingdom
- Area
- 2,178 km² (841 sq mi)841 sq mi (2,178 km²)
- Roughly 2,180 km² after the 2016 western extension towards the M6 (check).
- Established
- 1954
- Best months
- May–Jun, Sep
- Permits
- For some areas
The Yorkshire Dales National Park is limestone hill country in the Pennines of North Yorkshire, with edges in Cumbria and Lancashire: valleys cut by glaciers and water, dry stone walls, field barns and sheep. It was created in 1954 and extended west in 2016, and it is a working farmed landscape rather than a wilderness. There is no entry fee and no road toll, so the cost of a day is parking plus lunch. Most visitors come for the walking — the Malham circuit, the Three Peaks, the Dales Way and the Pennine Way — and the park is small enough that a car and a village base cover it in two or three days.
Decide
Why go, which months, and what lives here when
At a glance
Status
- No UNESCO listing; national park since 1954.
Size and age
2,178 km² (841 sq mi)841 sq mi (2,178 km²) · national park since 1954
Roughly 2,180 km² after the 2016 western extension towards the M6 (check).
Why go
- Limestone valleys, dry stone walls and field barns — a farmed landscape, not a wilderness.
- England's classic day walks: Malham Cove and Gordale Scar, or the Three Peaks of Whernside, Ingleborough and Pen-y-Ghent.
- Waterfalls at Hardraw Force and High Force, and the Gaping Gill pothole where a stream drops into a cavern.
- No entry fee and no toll roads, so a day here costs parking plus lunch.
When to go
- JanAvoid
- FebAvoid
- MarCaution
- AprGo
- MayBest
- JunBest
- JulGo
- AugCaution
- SepBest
- OctGo
- NovCaution
- DecAvoid
- JanCold, wet, short days; some places shut
- FebCold and windy; snow on tops
- MarMuddy underfoot; quiet
- AprDrier, longer days; still changeable
- MayBest walking; lambs in the fields
- JunLong days; busiest weekends
- JulWarm but school holidays start
- AugPeak crowds and full car parks
- SepDry spells, thinner crowds
- OctAutumn colour; wetter again
- NovGrey, boggy; some closures
- DecShort days; ice on the tops
Wildlife and nature calendar
| What | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Curlews, lapwings and other upland wadersApr–Jun · Ground-nesting; keep dogs on leads and stay on paths. | no | no | no | yes | yes | yes | no | no | no | no | no | no |
| Swaledale sheep and lambsMar–May · Close gates behind you; do not approach ewes with lambs. | no | no | yes | yes | yes | no | no | no | no | no | no | no |
| Water voles and hazel dormiceMay–Sep · Re-introduced and rarely seen; do not disturb bankside vegetation. | no | no | no | no | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | no | no | no |
| Red grouse on the moorsAug–Dec · Shooting takes place on some moors; follow any access notices. | no | no | no | no | no | no | no | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes |
Arrive & move
Getting in, how the park is divided, and where things are
Show 3 sectionsHideHow to get there, Zones and sectors, Sketch map
How to get there
From Leeds
Train to Skipton, then bus towards Grassington or Settle; or drive up the A65.
1–1.5 h
Open the page →
From London
Train to Leeds, change for Skipton or Settle; the Settle–Carlisle line runs up Ribblesdale.
3.5–4.5 h
From Manchester
Drive north on the M6 then the A65, or train to Leeds and back up.
2–2.5 h
From North Yorkshire base
Use Skipton, Harrogate or Richmond as a base and drive in daily.
Zones and sectors
| Zone | What is there | Access |
|---|---|---|
| Malham and Wharfedale | Malham Cove, Gordale Scar, Malham Tarn and the upper Wharfe villages. | Open; pay and display car parks, busy at weekends. |
| Three Peaks | Whernside, Ingleborough and Pen-y-Ghent above Ribblesdale and Chapel-le-Dale. | Open; long rough days, no facilities on the tops. |
| Wensleydale and Swaledale | Hawes, Hardraw Force, Reeth and the northern dales. | Open; the Wensleydale Railway runs from Leeming Bar via Leyburn. |
| Nidderdale | Pateley Bridge, Brimham Rocks and the Nidd valley. | Protected separately as an AONB, not part of the national park. |
Sketch map
- 1Skipton · Town≈53.962, -2.017Map ↗
- 2Malham · Village≈54.061, -2.155Map ↗
- 3Malham Cove · Viewpoint≈54.071, -2.158Map ↗
- 4Horton-in-Ribblesdale · Ranger station≈54.150, -2.300Map ↗
- 5Pen-y-Ghent · Summit≈54.153, -2.372Map ↗
- 6Ingleborough · Summit≈54.167, -2.397Map ↗
- 7Hawes · Town≈54.307, -2.196Map ↗
- 8Hardraw Force · Viewpoint≈54.311, -2.205Map ↗
- 9Pateley Bridge · Town≈54.086, -1.760Map ↗
Take the points offline
9 points as a GPX waypoint file, plus a plain-text list of coordinates. Save it while you have signal: maps apps show the points without a connection.
Approximate positions across the park, from Skipton in the south to Hawes in the north, for orientation only.
See & do
Caves, trails and wildlife, with how hard each is and whether it needs booking
Show Top experiencesHide
Top experiences
Practical
Fees, permits, rules, where to sleep and what can go wrong
Show 8 sectionsHideEntry fees and permits, Park rules, Where to stay, Safety, Accessibility, Visiting lightly, Questions people ask, Related
Entry fees and permits
| Item | Range | Per | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Park entry | Free | person | No entry fee and no road toll anywhere in the park. |
| Car park, day rate | GBP 5–10 (≈ US$7–14) | car | 2026 estimate; varies by site, often coins or an app. |
| Ingleborough show cave | GBP 12–18 (≈ US$16–25) | person | 2026 estimate; check current prices. |
| Camping, per night | GBP 10–25 (≈ US$14–35) | person | 2026 estimate; farm sites, often more for a pitch with a car. |
Ranges, not quotes: fees change without notice. Check with the park or your operator · checked Sep 2026.
Park entry no permit
Fishing licence permit or guide
Caving beyond show caves permit or guide
What would our group pay?
People
Nights or days
- £5–10≈ US$7–14
- £12–18≈ US$16–25
- £10–25≈ US$14–35
Tick the fees that apply to your trip to see a total.
A guide, not a quote: the ranges are estimates (checked 2026-09) and each fee may have rules on who pays it. Confirm on Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority before you go.
Park rules
- Entry and tolls
- No park fee and no road toll; you pay for parking, campsites and attractions only.
- Dogs
- Keep on leads around livestock and ground-nesting birds, especially March to July.
- Fires and stoves
- No open fires or disposable barbecues; use a stove and take all rubbish out.
- Wild camping
- Not a right here; use campsites and farm sites instead (check).
- Gates and walls
- Leave gates as you find them and use stiles rather than climbing walls.
Where to stay
In the park
Village pub-hotels
Often the best room and the best dinner in a dale village; book ahead.
In the park
Farm campsites and glamping pods
Widely spread; pods and yurts are warmer in spring and autumn.
Near the park
Skipton
Chain hotels and supermarkets, within a short drive of the southern dales.
Safety
Weather turning on the tops medium
Wet limestone and steep steps medium
Theft from cars at car parks low
Caves high
How much daylight do you have?
Time out
Finding the local time zone…
Times are local to the spot (zone loading). The half-hour margin is our rule of thumb, not an official figure; light fades earlier in forest or under cloud. Carry a headlamp on any route that could run late.
Accessibility
- Malham village, the cove viewpoint path and Brimham Rocks have short, surfaced sections from the car parks.
- The Three Peaks and most moorland paths are rough, steep and unsurfaced; not suitable for limited mobility.
Visiting lightly
- Park in one village and walk or use the seasonal buses rather than driving between car parks.
- Buy lunch and fuel in the dales villages so the money stays in the park.
- Keep to paths on the limestone tops; the pavement and its plants are fragile.
Questions people ask
How much does it cost to enter Yorkshire Dales?
Nothing. There is no entry fee and no road toll in the national park. You pay for parking (about £5–10 a day, 2026 estimate), campsites, and attractions such as the Ingleborough show cave or Hardraw Force.
What are the best hikes in Yorkshire Dales?
The Malham Cove and Gordale Scar circuit (4–5 h, moderate) is the classic. For a bigger day, climb one of the Three Peaks — Ingleborough from Clapham or Pen-y-Ghent from Horton-in-Ribblesdale (4–6 h, hard). The Dales Way and the Pennine Way cross the park for multi-day walks.
When is the best time to visit Yorkshire Dales?
May, June and September: long days, drier ground and fewer people than the August school holidays. July and August are warm but car parks fill by mid-morning. October to March is wet, cold and windy, with snow and ice on the tops.
Do I need a car?
It helps. Buses run on radial routes from Skipton, Harrogate and Richmond and are infrequent, and the Settle–Carlisle line serves Ribblesdale. Without a car, base yourself in a village on a bus route and walk from there.
Can I wild camp in the Yorkshire Dales?
There is no general right to wild camp in the park. Use the many farm campsites and campsites instead, and book ahead in summer (check).
Is Yorkshire Dales the same as North York Moors?
No. The Yorkshire Dales is the limestone hill country of the Pennines in North Yorkshire, Cumbria and Lancashire. The North York Moors is a separate national park about 50 miles east.
Deep dive
Every source; fees and rules change, so check before you go