Moths, bats, birds and even teddy bears are featured in some of the activities organised by the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority in August.

A whole range of guided walks and other activities has been planned all over the National Park to encourage people to learn more about exactly what makes it a special place.

The full list of events is:
1 August: Storytelling, Dales Countryside Museum, Hawes, 2pm to 3pm. Telephone 01969 666210.

2 August: Moth trapping and identification – guided walk, Killington New Bridge Local Nature Reserve on the roadside to the south of the road bridge, 8.30pm to 11.59pm. Telephone 01969 666210.

3 August: History of Grinton Mines – discovery walk, Grinton Youth Hostel, 12.15pm to 2.45pm. Telephone 01748 884059.

3 August: Rag Rug making, Dales Countryside Museum, Hawes, 10am to 4pm. Telephone 01969 666210.

4 August: Cromwell Was Here! – guided walk, Malham National Park Centre, 11am to 3pm. Telephone 01969 652380.

5 August: Redmire Force and High Lane – guided walk, West Burton village green, 11am to 4.30pm. Telephone 01969 662910.

5 August: Spinning a Yarn, Dales Countryside Museum, Hawes, 2pm to 4pm. Telephone 01969 666210.

6 August: Burnsall Byways – discovery walk, Burnsall bridge, 1.30pm to 4.30pm. Telephone 01756 751690.

6 August: Hawes Town Trail – discovery walk, Dales Countryside Museum, Hawes, 2.15pm to 4.15pm. Telephone 01969 666210.

6 August: 'Discover and Do', Dales Countryside Museum, Hawes, 2pm to 4pm. Telephone 01969 666210.

6 August: Over Blea Moor – guided walk, Ribblehead station, 11.45am to 4.30pm. Telephone 01969 666210.

6 August: The Craven Lime Works – discovery walk, Craven Lime Works, 2pm to 4pm. Telephone 01729 825192.

7 August: Birds of the Yorkshire Dales, Dales Countryside Museum, Hawes, 12.30pm to 1.30pm. Telephone 01969 666210.

7 August: Heather Moors of Wensleydale – guided walk, Castle Bolton car park, 11am to 4pm. Telephone 01969 662910.

8 August: Storytelling, Dales Countryside Museum, Hawes, 2pm to 3pm. Telephone 01969 666210.

10 August: Faults, caves, limestone and grit – guided walk, Malham National Park Centre, 10am to 4.30pm. Telephone 01969 652380.

10 August: Pathfinder, Dales Countryside Museum, Hawes, 10.30am to 4.30pm. Telephone 01969 666210.

10 August: Mines and caverns – guided walk, Stump Cross Caverns (on B6265 between Grassington and Pateley), 11.15am to 2.45pm. Telephone 01756 751690.

10 August: Mossdale and Cotterdale Round – guided walk, Appersett village green, 11am to 4pm. Telephone 01969 666210.

13 August: Nature discovery – discovery walk, Aysgarth Falls National Park Centre, 11am to 1.30pm. Telephone 01969 662910.

13 August: Clapham Heritage Trail – guided walk, Clapham National Park car park, 2pm to 4pm. Telephone 01729 825192.

13 August: Leadmining in Wensleydale – discovery walk, Ballowfield car park 1.5 miles west of Carperby on Carperby to Askrigg road, 1pm to 3.30pm. Telephone 01969 662910.

13 August: 'Discover and Do', Dales Countryside Museum, Hawes, 2pm to 4pm. Telephone 01969 666210.

14 August: East Cowgill Circular – guided walk, Dent station, 12.30pm to 4.30pm. Telephone 01969 666210.

14 August: Leadmining around Langthwaite – discovery walk, Red Lion Inn, Langthwaite, 1pm to 3.30pm. Telephone 01748 884059.

14 August: Woodland Birds of the Yorkshire Dales, Dales Countryside Museum, Hawes, 12.30pm to 1.30pm. Telephone 01969 666210.

15 August: Storytelling, Dales Countryside Museum, Hawes, 2pm to 3pm. Telephone 01969 666210.

15 August: Batwatch – discovery walk, Bolton Abbey village hall, 8pm to 10.30pm. Telephone 01856 751690.

16 August: Settle Heritage Trail – discovery walk, Settle Tourist Information Centre, 2.15pm to 4.15pm. Telephone 01729 825192.

17 August: Chainsaw demonstration, Aysgarth National Park Centre car park, 11am to 4pm. Telephone 01969 662910.

17 August: Hawes town trail – discovery walk, Dales Countryside Museum, Hawes, 2.15pm to 4.15pm. Telephone 01969 666210.

17 August: Grassington and Hebden Circular – guided walk, Grassington National Park Centre, 11am to 3pm. Telephone 01756 751690.

17 August: Introduction to digital photography – cameras, Dales Countryside Museum, Hawes, 10.30am to 4pm. Telephone 01969 666210.

17 August: Elgars Enigma – guided walk, Stainforth National Park car park, 10.30am to 4.30pm. Telephone 01729 825192.

19 August: Swaledale, riverside and fellside – guided walk, Feetham church 5 miles west of Reeth on B6270, 11am to 3pm. Telephone 01748 884059.

19 August: Woodland Creatures (Ambush Event), Riddings field, Freeholders Wood, Aysgarth Falls, 10am to 4pm. Telephone 01969 662910.

20 August: Leadmining on Grassington Moor – discovery walk, Yarnbury, approx. 2 miles above Grassington, 2pm to 4.30pm. Telephone 01756 751690.

20 August: 'Discover and Do', Dales Countryside Museum, Hawes, 2pm to 4pm. Telephone 01969 666210.

20 August: History of Old Gang Mines – discovery walk, Surrender Bridge, Reeth, 1pm to 4pm. Telephone 01748 884059.

21 August: Waterfalls, caves and kilns – guided walk, Stainforth National Park car park, 10.30am to 4.30pm. Telephone 01729 825192.

21 August: Upland Birds of the Yorkshire Dales, Dales Countryside Museum, Hawes, 12.30pm to 1.30pm. Telephone 01969 666210.

22 August: Storytelling, Dales Countryside Museum, Hawes, 2pm to 3pm. Telephone 01969 666210.

23 August: Teddy Bears’ Picnic, Malham National Park Centre, 12pm to 2pm. Telephone 01969 652380.

24 August: By castle and byway – guided walk, Castle Bolton car park, 12pm to 5pm. Telephone 01969 662910.

24 August: The Cove – guided walk, Malham National Park Centre, 2pm to 4pm. Telephone 01969 652380.

24 August: Teddy Bears’ Picnic, Grassington National Park car park, 12pm to 2pm. Telephone 01756 751690.

25 August: Explore the geology and lead mines of Gunnerside Gill – discovery walk, between Post Office and bridge Gunnerside, 11am to 4pm. Telephone 01748 884059.

26 August: Drystone walling demonstraton, Dales Countryside Museum, Hawes, 2pm to 4pm. Telephone 01969 666210.

27 August: Grassington Heritage Trail – discovery walk, Grassington National Park Centre, 2pm to 4pm. Telephone 01756 751690.

27 August: Over Blea Moor – guided walk, Ribblehead station, 11.45am to 4.30pm. Telephone 01969 666210.

27 August: 'Discover and Do', Dales Countryside Museum, Hawes, 2pm to 4pm. Telephone 01969 666210.

27 August: A trip out with a Ranger, Grassington National Park Centre, 11am to 3pm. Telephone 01756 751690.

28 August: Birds of the Yorkshire Dales, Dales Countryside Museum, Hawes, 12.30pm to 1.30pm. Telephone 01969 666210.

29 August: Storytelling, Dales Countryside Museum, Hawes, 2pm to 3pm. Telephone 01969 666210.

Some of the events are part of the Yorkshire Dales Hay Time Festival, which runs throughout the Yorkshire Dales, including the Nidderdale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

More than 70 separate activities that are being staged by organisations from all over the Dales that have teamed up with the YDNPA and the Yorkshire Dales Millennium Trust (YDMT) to celebrate hay meadows. A list of the events can be found on the YDNPA website at www.yorkshiredales.org.uk/index/enjoying/hay_time_festival.htm.

The ecological importance of the colourful meadows has already been recognised with the launch by the YDNPA and the YDMT in 2006 of the Hay Time Project. It aims to transform 140 hectares of upland and lowland hay meadow to its former glory by encouraging farmers to revert to more traditional management. It also hopes to restore meadows that have lost some of their botanical diversity by spreading seed on them that has been collected from nearby good meadows. More information about the YDMT project is available at www.ydmt.org/page.php?page=haytime.

The festival also aims to promote sustainability within the National Park generally and will look at the influences of the hay meadows on:
Culture – the old farming methods and traditions like bringing the drinkings
Wildlife – the huge variety of birds, animals and plant life
Architecture – the building and use of the stone barns that are such a familiar sight in the Yorkshire Dales.