North York Moors - History, Geography and natural features, Wildlife, Economy

National park chiefly in North Yorkshire, England; area 1432 km²/553 sq mi; established in 1952; follows the coast N of Scarborough to Hambleton Hills (W); headlands and sandy beaches, open moorland and wooded valleys; Mount Grace Priory, Rievaulx Abbey, Byland Abbey.

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North York Moors National Park is a National Park in northern England. It has a population of about 25,000

History

The North York Moors became a National Park in 1952, through the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act of 1949.

Geography and natural features

The area is very well defined;

80% of the park's area is in private ownership and 40% is farm land.

The higher parts of the moors are largely covered in wide areas of heather moorland.

Wildlife

The North Yorkshire Moors have much wildlife in particular upland birds.

Forested areas to the South of the main Moorland provide further diverse habitat.

Hills

Urra Moor, the highest point Cringle Moor Roseberry Topping

Towns

There are few major settlements within, or around, the National Park; The Esk Valley Line itself links with the North Yorkshire Moors Railway, one of Britain’s most popular and picturesque preserved railways, at Grosmont.

Other popular villages on the moors include Hutton-le-Hole, Goathland, and Rosedale.

Economy

The area's economy is mainly comprised of tourism and agriculture.

Tourism

Many visitors to the moors are engaged in outdoor pursuits, particularly walking;

The area also offers opportunities for cycling, mountain biking, and horse-riding.

Attractions

North Yorkshire Moors Railway Byland Abbey Cleveland Way National trail (long distance footpath) Lyke Wake Walk (long distance footpath) Forge Valley NNR National Nature Reserve Farndale LNR Local Nature Reserve Helmsley Castle Yorkshire Wildlife Trust Reserves: Ashberry Pastures, Bridestones, Ellerburn Bank, Fen Bog, Garbutt Wood, Hagg wood Marsh, Hayburn Wyke, Littlebeck. Rievaulx River Seven, River Dove, River Rye, River Seph, River Esk

Entertainment

The moors have a not changed much in the past 50 years, and are often used a backdrop to British television programmes and films.