38^th Annual General Meeting of Friends of the Dales

Saturday 25 September 2021 at 2:15 pm

This year's AGM will be a digital event. Owing to ongoing uncertainties related to the COVID-19 pandemic Trustees of Freinds of the Dales have taken the decision to hold this year's AGM online by Zoom. Members have the opportunity to vote and ask questions in advance via the proxy voting form. The 2021 Annual Accounts and Report and Minutes from the 2020 AGM are available below. The deadline for proxy votes and to register a place for the AGM Zoom event is Friday 17 September. Photo credit: Ken Humphris

To register your interest or request a form please use the contact form 

Plastic Tree Guard Collection Event - near Long Preston

Thursday 7 October, 10am – 3pm  

In line with our Plastic Free Dales campaign we are keen to work with local landowners and partners to help rid the Dales of redundant tree guards, which if left uncollected once a tree is thriving, breakdown into micro plastics polluting the land and ultimately the waterways. Organised collections like this one enable the guards to be either reused or recycled. Tree guard collection days are rewarding events to take part in, however please be aware they are also reasonably strenuous. All necessary equipment will be provided on the day and further details will be sent nearer the time.  Photo credit: Ann Shadrake

To register for a place please use the contact form . 

Tea Time Talk - Exploring Crummackdale

Wednesday 20 October, 4.30pm (c 1 hr)

In this illustrated talk, our Trustee Ken Humphris, will present ‘Exploring Crummackdale’. Through personal photos Ken aims to share some of the history from geological time through to the recent past, and why walking in this lovely valley is so rewarding.  Photo credit: Ken Humphris

To register for a place please use the contact form . We will respond a day or two before the event with a personal Zoom invitation. Places are limited - book early!

Friends of the Dales 40^th Anniversary Walk

Wednesday 10 November, 10.30am – 4.30pm 

This full day's winter walking, starting and ending in Grassington, will visit several memorable locations from the early days of the Yorkshire Dales Society, now known as Friends of the Dales. Hosted by Colin Speakman, founder member and a Vice President of our charity, and creator of the Dales Way, this promises to be an enjoyable and information rich ramble, incorporating – amongst many other things – insight into the former Grassington Hospital and Linton Camp School. Please note the timings of this walk have been planned to coincide with the DalesBus service from Grassington to Skipton and Ilkley. Places limited.   Photo credit: Ann Shadrake

To register for a place please use the contact form .

Tea Time Talk - Leave Only Hoofprints – Farming for a Sustainable Future

Wednesday 17 November, 4.30pm (c 1 hr)

This early evening talk presented by Jamie Roberts, the third generation custodian of Kilnsey Park Estate, will uncover how he and his family have diversified the farm to create an ambitious and sustainable eco model, which aims to protect the land whilst being a viable commercial entity fit for the 21^st century and beyond. Photo credit: Chris North

To register for a place please use the contact form . We will respond a day or two before the event with a personal Zoom invitation. Places are limited - book early!

Teatime Talk – Christmas behind the Barbed Wire, 1919

Wednesday 8 December, 4.30pm (c 1 hr)

This early evening talk presented by Anne Buckley, a lecturer in German and Translation Studies at the University of Leeds, will be a fascinating insight into the lives of the German POWs who resided in Skipton during the First World War. Most aptly it will also shed some light on how the POWs managed to celebrate Christmas within the camp. Anne’s talk draws uniquely from a diary the POWs secretly wrote during their time in Skipton which was subsequently smuggled back to Germany and published under the title Kriegsgefangen in Skipton. Photo credit: Anne Buckley

To register for a place please use the contact form . We will respond a day or two before the event with a personal Zoom invitation. Places are limited - book early!

Walk - Conservation, Carbon, Cattle, Climate

Wednesday 25 August 2021

A special guided walk around the landscape at Mearbeck Farm, Long Preston, hosted by Dales farmer and Trustee Anthony Bradley explored how Anthony farms to maximise the health of his soil, grass and livestock, whilst protecting wildlife, wetlands and “locking-in” carbon. 

To register your interest please use the contact form 

Guided Walk - Gargrave Circular

Saturday 7 August 2021

Hosted by our Trustee, Scarlett Armstrong, the eight mile circular route began in Gargrave, following fields and quiet country lanes to Airton, before returning to Gargrave via the Pennine Way. Photo credit: Ann Shadrake

To register your interest please use the contact form 

Early Evening Talk - The Impact of the 2019 Floods on the Historic Environment of the Northern Dales

Weds 14 July 2021 (c 1 hr)

In this illustrated talk, Miles Johnson, Head of Historic Environment at The North Yorks Moors National Park, spoke about the impact of the 2019 floods on the historic and archeological environment of Swaledale and Arkengarthdale, with particular referecne to its impact on the area's lead mining heritage.

Photo credit: Richmondshire Today

Early Evening Talk - Managing the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust's Nature Reserves 

Weds 16 June 2021 (c 1 hr)

In this illustrated talk, Graham Standring, the YWT's Living Landscapes Officer, showcased the charity's work in managing its nature reserves across the Dales.

Photo credit Mark Corner, Friends of the Dales.

Early Evening Talk - Strengthening the North's Green Heart

Weds 19 May 2021 (c 1 hr)

In this illustrated talk, our Vice Chair and Trustee, Wilf Fenten, presented a visionary but practical way to greater sustainability for protected areas across the north of England.

Photo credit Ann Shadrake, Friends of the Dales.

Tea Time Talk - Give Peat a Chance

Weds 21 April 2021 (c 1 hr)

In 'Give Peat a Chance', Jenny Sharman of Yorkshire Wildlife Trust and Yorkshire Peat Partnership gave a fascinating talk about peatlands in the Yorkshire Dales, why they need our help, and what the Partnership is doing to restore them.

You can now watch this talk on YouTube - click on the link: Give Peat a Chance 

Photo credit Pennine Peatlife

Tea Time Talk -

Weds 17 March 2021 (c 1 hr)

Trustee, Kyle Blue gave an engaging talk about 'Living and Roaming in the Orton Fells'. 

PDF of Kyle's talk to follow.

Photo credit Nancy Stedman, Friends of the Dales

Tea Time Talk -

Weds 24 February 2021 (c 1 hr)

Julie Martin, Trustee: "Landscapes of the Dales 2020". This talk gave an overview of the landscape character assessment work recently completed by the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority. It included suggestions on how this comprehensive and informative set of landscape descripitions, maps and analysis can be accessed and used to help, guide and manage future landscape change.

Photo credit Ann Shadrake, Friends of the Dales

To view a pdf of the talk, click the link below

Tea Time Talk -

Weds 27 January 2021

Nancy Stedman, Trustee "Barn Conversions in the Dales - What do they Achieve?"

To view a PDF of the talk, click the link below

All content is copyright Friends of the Dales. 

A Green New Dales: Year One of the climate emergency

Saturday 3 October & Saturday 17 October 2020

An online FREE conference (by Zoom) jointly offered by Friends of the Dales and North Craven Heritage Trust.

A range of expert speakers will present on key themes such as a net-zero National Park; new thinking on planting trees in the Dales; water in the Dales; and using a "circular economy" to help businesses improve resilience and profits. 

Full details of the programme and how to book (closing date Weds 23 September) in the downloadable flyer.