A series of events are being put on across the Yorkshire Dales to highlight the floral spendour of this special landscape, as Clive White reports.

 

More than 100 wildflower-inspired events are to take place from March to October across the Yorkshire Dales.

The Flowers of the Dales Festival celebrates the region’s wildflower-rich hay meadows and pastures, moorland fringes, open heather moorland and limestone pavement.

The annual festival is co-ordinated by the Yorkshire Dales Millennium Trust.

It includes a wide range of activities and events such as guided walks, identification courses, art exhibitions, children’s craft activities, bug hunts and ‘grow wild’ activities, run by expert individuals and organisations.

More than 19,000 people have enjoyed taking part in events since the first festival in 2009.

The trust’s Flowers of the Dales project officer, Tanya St Pierre, said: “Finding time in our hectic lives to relax in the countryside and appreciate the beauty of nature is great for the mind, body and soul.

“Through the festival we aim to encourage people to do just this, and hope that the participants will help us spread the word so that the Yorkshire Dales will be valued, treasured and cared for, ensuring it remains a truly special place for future generations.”

The 2014 festival had been made possible thanks to the People’s Postcode Lottery, the Linden Charitable Trust and a legacy from Gillian Bonsall.

Clara Govier, head of charities at People’s Postcode Lottery, said: “Players of People’s Postcode Lottery have raised over £400,000 for Yorkshire Dales Millennium Trust so far to enable them to run wonderful projects such as the Flowers of the Dales Festival. It’s so important that we give people from all backgrounds as many opportunities as possible to learn about and enjoy the great outdoors, and we hope the 2014 festival is as popular and well-attended as in previous years.”

The festival programme can be viewed and downloaded at ydmt.org/Festival2014. To receive a printed copy of the programme, send an A5 SAE (50p postage) to: Flowers of the Dales, YDMT, Old Post Office, Main Street, Clapham, North Yorkshire LA2 8DP.