Flowers of the Dales Festival returns... by popular demand

Wildlife enthusiasts join a bumblebee identification walk organised by the Yorkshire Dales Millennium Trust

The Flower of the Dales Festival, featuring more than 100 wildflower-inspired events, will take place from March to October across the Yorkshire Dales.

Co-ordinated by the charity, Yorkshire Dales Millennium Trust (YDMT), the annual event celebrates the region’s hay meadows and pastures, moorland fringes, open heather moorland and limestone pavement which are home to a wide range of wildlife, including many rare and nationally scarce species of wildflowers, grasses, insects, birds and small mammals.

YDMT’s Flowers of the Dales project officer, Tanya St. Pierre, said: “Finding time in our hectic lives to relax in the countryside and appreciate the beauty of nature is great for the mind, body and soul. Through the festival we aim to encourage people to do just this, and hope that the participants will help us spread the word so that the Yorkshire Dales will be valued, treasured and cared for, ensuring it remains a truly special place for future generations.”

The festival includes  guided walks, identification courses, art exhibitions, children’s craft activities, bug hunts and ‘grow wild’ activities, run by expert individuals and organisations.