Malham Cove: A major Dales attraction

THE Yorkshire Dales are the fifth most popular national park in the country when it comes to visitor choice, according to a new survey.

Of the 1,000 adults from across the UK who took part in the NOP poll, 49 per cent said they had visited the Yorkshire Dales - compared to 44 per cent in a similar survey in 2001.

The most visited national park was the Lake District - 70 per cent of respondents said they had visited - compared to 64 per cent in 2001.

The survey to gauge awareness of national parks was commissioned by the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority (YDNPA) on behalf of all English and Welsh national park authorities.

Carl Lis, the YDNPA chairman, said: "This survey shows that growing numbers of people are visiting the Yorkshire Dales National Park - but then, it's not surprising really when you think what the Dales have to offer in terms of breathtaking scenery and fantastic tourist attractions.

"More and more people are starting to appreciate that the country's national parks have special and unique qualities that make them the jewels in the UK's crown.

The survey also showed that the majority of respondents see national parks as being important areas that we need to protect from development. The survey's main findings were:

• 93 per cent of respondents said national parks were very or fairly important to them.
• 98 per cent of respondents felt it was important for us, as a nation, to protect areas of the countryside from development.
• 87 per cent (nine in ten respondents) had heard of the expression 'national parks' - a slight decrease from the 2001 figure of 92 per cent.
• Opinions were split on whether enough was being done to protect the countryside in national parks - 44 per cent of respondents agreed that it was (31 per cent in 2001) whilst 40 per cent disagreed with this statement (59 per cent in 2001).
• 96 per cent of respondents felt every child should experience a national park as part of their education.
• The most common reason for visiting a national park was to go walking or rambling - around 22 per cent. Other reasons included holiday/short break with friends (18 per cent), recreation (16 per cent), a day out/something to do (13 per cent), and peace and quiet (12 per cent). The top five reasons given in 2001 were landscape (36 per cent), recreation (29 per cent), walking/rambling (24 per cent), peace and quiet (22 per cent), and family (14 per cent).