STROLLING through a wildflower hay meadow is like stepping back in time. With their abundance of colourful native wildflowers, and the gentle buzz of pollinating insects hard at work, these once-common sights can evoke a sense of romance and nostalgia.

A hundred years ago these beauties could have been found in most parishes across the country, but today only three per cent of our meadows remain. Nearly 7.5 million acres of wildflower meadow have been lost, and they are still under threat.

Across the Yorkshire Dales we are fortunate that small fragments of wildflower-rich meadows and grasslands still survive thanks to traditional farming techniques, providing a snapshot of our cultural heritage, and a vital opportunity to take action to protect and restore meadows before it is too late.

Since 2006, local charity Yorkshire Dales Millennium Trust (YDMT) has been working with farmers across the region to reintroduce native wildflowers to land that has lost its botanical diversity and beauty.

So far more than 1,100 acres of degraded meadows have been tackled across the Yorkshire Dales and Forest of Bowland.

His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales, patron of YDMT, said: “When people come to Highgrove and see the flower meadow there they often say that it reminds them of their childhood. As time goes on there will be fewer people for whom that is true.”

Closer to home, this is a sentiment shared by Amanda Owen, fellow wildflower enthusiast, mother of seven, author of ‘The Yorkshire Shepherdess’ and star of ITV’s The Dales.

Amanda is keen to help YDMT highlight the current threat faced by hay meadows, and to inspire people to take the time to experience the joy of visiting these icons of the Yorkshire Dales.

She said: “Here at Ravenseat farm we do not have perhaps the best hay fields, but maybe some of the highest in the Dales, as the farm sits at 1350ft and the moors rise up to 1800ft.

“One of the meadows is a Site of Special Scientific Interest on account of the profusion of Globeflowers that grow there, and we have various botany groups that visit us every year.

“We enjoy gleaning as much information from them as possible and our children can now identify many of the rarer species of plants.”

Visiting a meadow in full bloom was a seasonal treat for all the senses, with brightly-coloured flowers, heady scents, a frothy haze of delicate grasses, and the gentle hum of industrious insects and other wildlife.

Tanya St. Pierre, YDMT’s Hay Time project officer, said: “Recording and monitoring wildflower and grass species in traditional hay meadows is one of my summer highlights.

“ Sadly, of the few traditionally managed meadows that remain, many no longer contain the huge variety of species that they once did. It’s vital that we don’t forget how important these meadows are - not only for biodiversity but also as part of our rich farming heritage.

Now, with 97percent of our meadows having been lost over the last century, it’s a poignant reminder that much more work is needed to look after the few remaining meadows and work with farmers to ensure that others are restored to their former glory.

“Here at YDMT we are looking to the future with our ongoing programme of meadow restoration and education work, helping to ensure that traditional flower-rich meadows, like those found at Ravenseat, can be enjoyed by our grandchildren.”

Tanya and Amanda are particularly keen to encourage Young families are encouraged to get out in the countryside this summer and experience the beauty of meadows, providing the children of today with an opportunity to develop an interest in nature from an early age. The best time to visit wildflower hay meadows in the Yorkshire Dales is mid June to late June, when most of the wildflower species should be in bloom.

YDMT has produced a series of five walk guides incorporating some of the most exceptional meadows in the Dales, with options to suit all ages and abilities – they can be downloaded at www.ydmt.org/hay-time For the seventh year running, The Trust is also co-ordinating the Flowers of the Dales Festival which brings together more than 100 wildflower-inspired events taking place from now until October across the Dales. To view the full programme of events, ranging for walks and talks to arts, crafts and bioblitz events, visit www.ydmt.org/Festival2015 British Flowers Week takes place from June 15 to 19. See th and is an annual campaign - it is in its third year - to promote British flowers and to celebrate those varieties grown locally. More information is on britishflowerweek.com