Calendar proclaims year-long beauty of the Dales

Now the Yorkshire Dales Millennium Trust (YDMT) is showcasing the landscape it prides itself on protecting in a bid to boost funds, which it will invest back into the area.

The Clapham-based charity has launched two calendars featuring a collection of iconic Yorkshire Dales scenes that have been captured by photographers who live in the national park.

The marketing and communications officer at YDMT, Sarah Brewer, said: “This is the first time we have decided to pull a calendar together ourselves. We are really thrilled with what we have ended up with, the photographs are beautiful. Some of the images that really stand out include a vibrant picture of a woodpecker and a photograph of the viaduct at Ribblehead. It’s such an iconic Yorkshire image and we have had a lot of feedback about it.

“The photographers were surrounded by this wonderful landscape and there was inspiration around every corner for them.” Other shots include a train steaming its way across Dent Head in Ingleborough and the summit of Pen-y-ghent, one of the Yorkshire Three Peaks. Giggleswick church and its famous domed roof also makes an appearance alongside picturesque village scenes, including Muker in Swaledale.

Wildlife is also celebrated in the calendars and striking photographs of butterflies, as well as a curlew and a bumblebee, are just some of the images that reflect the wealth of nature that the Dales has to offer.

Fuelled by their passion of capturing an area which provides a constant source of artistic inspiration, the photographers have donated the images for free to help conserve their precious home.

The first calendar is a “slimline” format featuring classic scenes such as the hay meadows in Swaledale. It brings together images by local photographer and supporter of the charity Steve Finch, and Tanya St Pierre, who is the Flowers of the Dales project officer at YDMT.

Mr Finch, who is a life member of the Clapham cave and mountain rescue team, said: “The Yorkshire Dales Millennium Trust has provided a significant contribution to the Dales, without which our photography would increasingly be recording a passing landscape and culture, rather than celebrating what we have today.”

The second calendar features pictures by the Settle Photographic Group (SPG), which is one of the many community groups to have directly benefited from the work of YDMT. Through the Grassroots Grants scheme SPG received £4,702 to purchase camera equipment and assist with their set-up and running costs.

The group brings together more than 40 talented local photographers, each with a passion for the Yorkshire Dales. As the seasons pass, the group captures some of the very best bits of the Yorkshire Dales, and it is now sharing some of its favourite scenes in the calendar.

Miss Brewer said: “We approached Steve because he is a long-standing supporter of the trust and then through other conversations we realised that we also had this relationship with the Settle Photographic Group, which is also based in Clapham. They calendar was actually set as a project for the group. It has over 40 members so there were a lot of entries but they whittled it down and we were given a disc of some incredible images from across the Yorkshire Dales.

“We are very grateful to everyone involved for all kindly allowing us to delve through their photography collections – we were completely spoilt for choice. We’re also very grateful to the Fuse Creative Marketing, in Harrogate, for contributing their design services for free. It feels like a real joint effort. Everyone put in so much time to make it possible and hopefully it will be able to raise a lot of money to be able to carry on doing our work in the Dales.”

All money raised will go straight to YDMT to play a vital role in helping to continue important projects across the Yorkshire Dales, such as countryside apprenticeships, supporting local businesses, education and outreach, restoring woodlands and wildlife habitats, and conserving heritage features.

The calendars are available to buy online at www.ydmt.org/shop or can be ordered by calling 015242 51002. Priced at £8 and £10, they are also available at Booths in Settle and will be on sale at this year’s Harrogate Autumn Flower Show, which runs from September 16-18.