National Park authorities respond after challenging weekend in Yorkshire's rural beauty spots

On Saturday and Sunday, the Dales were extremely busy and there were significant issues with illegal parking, littering, fire safety and anti-social behaviour.

With indoor leisure destinations still closed, visitors from urban areas descended on the National Park in large groups.

Southern areas such as Malham, Burnsall and Horton-in-Ribblesdale were particular hotspots, and the Authority provided live updates on car park capacity.

North Yorkshire Police officers carried out enforcement activity targeting obstructive parking and fire crews dealt with several abandoned disposable barbecues which presented a fire risk.

Shocking photos emerged showing large amounts of litter that had been left behind beside the River Wharfe at Burnsall.

Police officers on duty described the area as 'like one big party' and begged visitors to stay away from the hotspots.Residents reported large groups of young people who had travelled from cities such as Leeds, Bradford and even Manchester to drink and have barbecues in open countryside.

National Park Authority chairman Carl Lis said:

“It was great to see so many young people, young families and people from BAME backgrounds enjoying the sunshine in the Yorkshire Dales National Park over the weekend. The volume of visitors was pretty much what you would expect given the weather, but some parts of the Park did experience problems. People who visit the area need to remember that much of the local infrastructure such as car parks, shops, pubs, restaurants and cafés remain closed.

"That has caused some issues in relation to littering, and we would say to anyone planning to visit the Yorkshire Dales National Park, expect to take your litter home. We are also experiencing problems with people arriving with disposable barbecues. Please do not bring these to the Dales, as the ground is tinder dry and the fire risk in some places is very high.

"Ultimately, we want everyone to enjoy the National Park and to have safe space in which to relax and exercise, but this can only happen if everyone respects the land, respects the community and respects each other. The countryside code is a good guide to navigating the countryside safely and responsibly."

Visitors have been advised to consider travelling to quieter areas in the north of the National Park. The Authority's car parks in Hawes and Clapham were both relatively quiet over the weekend.

An 82-year-old man from Lancashire died after being trampled by cows while walking his dogs near Ingleton on Saturday, and the Cave Rescue Organisation's volunteers were called out to a man in his 70s who had slipped and fallen on the Ingleton Waterfalls Trail, which is currently closed to the public.

North York Moors

It was a similar story in the North York Moors National Park, with reports of partying, littering and irresponsible barbecue use, mainly centred on the Thomason Foss waterfalls at Beck Hole, near Goathland.

Youths were seen 'tombstoning' at the spot on Sunday and one was airlifted to hospital after being injured while jumping from the falls.National Park rangers collected around 20 bags of rubbish from the area after a repeat of the issues faced over the Bank Holiday weekend, which saw human faeces, nappies and soiled underwear found by the water and the community hub's disabled toilets broken into.

This week's haul included more nappies, socks, shoes, towels, chairs, gas canisters, barbecues, beer bottles, food and broken glass.

A clearway was in force to prevent illegal roadside parking and the car parks in Sheepwash and Goathland village re-opened.

A spokesperson from the North York Moors National Park Authority said:

"Our rangers did a fantastic job monitoring the situation and engaging with visitors, and they observed plenty of people exploring the National Park in a safe and responsible way. We would also like to thank everyone who continues to exercise locally - you're all doing your bit to keep the North York Moors a safe place to live and visit.

“However, in some places there was littering, inconsiderate parking, drunken behaviour and fouling. In one beauty spot our rangers collected 20 bags of rubbish in and around the water. We do not have the resources or powers to manage this anti-social behaviour and are considering what steps we could ask others to take to control it.

“We were also deeply concerned to find a few ignored our warning not to light barbecues in the National Park. If wildfires started from a barbecue - even a spark can cause this - it could be devastating for our wildlife and livelihoods. Please remember that we remain at a high risk to wildfires and have done so since April - do not have barbecues or start any form of fire in the open countryside.

“Lastly, we would like to commend the police, fire and rescue services and the two mountain rescue teams that cover the National Park, for their efforts throughout the weekend. Please remember that they are under increased pressure at this time. Please act responsibly, treat the National Park and its residents with respect and continue to social distance. You have our utmost thanks for doing so.”