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.

Not field-verifiedSome areas permit-onlyChecked Sep 2026

Map to the park

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Directions

From where I am

Add your hotel to get directions from it. · stays in this browser; shared with the pocket card.

Area

2,178 km²841 sq mi

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 km²841 sq mi; 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 km²841 sq mi · 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

12-month verdict

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

Seasons shift by weeks each year

Wildlife and nature calendar for Yorkshire Dales National Park
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

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

Zones of Yorkshire Dales National Park
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

Approximate — not for navigation

Approximate positions across the park, from Skipton in the south to Hawes in the north, for orientation only.

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 ↗

See & do

Caves, trails and wildlife, with how hard each is and whether it needs booking

Top experiences

TrailsModerate4–5 hMalham Cove and Gordale Scar circuitLimestone pavement above the cove, then a ravine and a waterfall; steep steps, slippery when wet.

TrailsHard4–6 hThree Peaks — one summitPick Ingleborough from Clapham or Pen-y-Ghent from Horton; the full 24-mile round is a long day.

CavesEasy1 hIngleborough show caveNear Clapham; the rest of the caves here need technical skills.Booking: Check times before travelling

ViewpointsEasy30 minHardraw ForceA single-drop fall above Hawes, reached through a pub yard; small admission charge.

ViewpointsEasy1–2 hBrimham RocksGritstone outcrops near Pateley Bridge with short waymarked paths.

CultureEasyHalf dayWensleydale RailwayHeritage diesel trains across the vale; check the timetable, it does not run every day.

Practical

Fees, permits, rules, where to sleep and what can go wrong

Entry fees and permits

GBP ranges · check

Fees for Yorkshire Dales National Park
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	car	2026 estimate; varies by site, often coins or an app.
Ingleborough show cave	GBP 12–18	person	2026 estimate; check current prices.
Camping, per night	GBP 10–25	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

None — the park is open land and public rights of way; you pay only for parking and attractions.

Fishing licence permit or guide

Rod licence for rivers and still waters, from a Post Office or online; separate day ticket from the fishery.

Caving beyond show caves permit or guide

Technical systems such as Gaping Gill need experience, equipment and often a club permit.

Park rules

Drones, guides, camping and more

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

Carry waterproofs and a map even in July; visibility can drop to a few metres.

Wet limestone and steep steps medium

Expect slippery rock at Malham and Gordale; wear grippy boots.

Theft from cars at car parks low

Leave nothing visible in the car and park in signed car parks.

Caves high

Only the show caves are for visitors; everything else needs caving experience and kit.

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

Sources

officialYorkshire Dales National Park Authority
officialNational Trails — Pennine Way
secondaryWikipedia — Yorkshire Dales
secondaryWikivoyage: Yorkshire Dales, revision 5333230 (CC BY-SA 4.0)