Walking on Open Access Land
Following the introduction of the CRoW Act the Yorkshire Dales National Park now contains over 120,000 hectares of open access land, covering 60% of the park. This land is available for such activities as walking, climbing, and running; however, cycling, horse-riding, and the use of motor-vehicles are not allowed. This land represents an excellent opportunity to practice your navigation skills and to explore areas of the park that were previously 'out of bounds'.
Walking on open-access land can be challenging as you will often be a long way from recognised paths or even obvious landmarks. As a large percentage of the access land is open moorland, good navigation skills are required. Why not download some suggested walks to get you started. We hope that you enjoy your visit but remember that you must take responsibility for your own safety. Always wear suitable clothing and footwear and take particular care of hazards such as old mine-shafts, sink holes and peat bogs. We also recommend that you explore with the help of an up-to-date Ordnance Survey map.
Can I take my dog?
Dogs are allowed on large areas of open access land within the park, however, they must be kept under close control and from 1 March to 31 July they must be kept on a lead to prevent disturbance to breeding birds and animals. In some areas, such as grouse moors, there are long-term restrictions in place meaning dogs are not allowed except on public rights of way.
Is this land open all year?
Restrictions may be placed upon open access at any time of year for purposes such as preventing disturbance to breeding birds, land management or fire prevention. These restrictions may be enforced at short notice, so please check before you walk on the mapping provided by Natural England.
