Yorkshire Dales National Park

What Yorkshire Dales National Park does

Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority (YDNPA) is a UK statutory public body established in 1954 under the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949, responsible for managing and protecting 841 square miles of designated national park landscape in North Yorkshire, England. The Authority employs approximately 90 staff across offices in Grassington and Bainbridge, and operates no proprietary software platforms — its 'technology' stack is composed of public-facing web infrastructure (www.yorkshiredales.org.uk, retail.yorkshiredales.org.uk), walking apps, and open-data publication of expenditure records. Core service lines include statutory planning and development management, conservation and nature recovery, public rights of way management across approximately 2,000 km of footpaths and bridleways, the Dales Countryside Museum in Hawes, visitor centre services, and the twice-yearly Dales newspaper (15,800 copies per edition) distributed to all 24,000 residents.

The Authority's revenue model is dominated by UK government grant funding, supplemented by transaction-based income streams: national planning application fees (revised 1 April 2026), car park charges (most recently revised February 2025), retail sales through its online shop, and a managed catering concession at the Dales Countryside Museum (August 2026-August 2029). It does not publish a revenue figure; financials are reported via monthly expenditure files. Its go-to-market is event-driven and public-service oriented — reaching residents through the Dales newspaper (81% satisfaction rating) and visitors through the website (>500,000 annual users), visitor centres, social media channels, and events programming (Dark Skies Festival, Yorkshire Dales Cheese Festival, Walking Festivals). The Authority owns less than 0.06% of park land, relying on partnerships with landowners and external bodies for operational delivery.

YDNPA participates in a coordinated UK-wide partnership ecosystem managed by National Parks Partnerships, with active strategic relationships including Vodafone UK (three-year AI partnership, 2026), Santander UK and Estée Lauder Companies UK & Ireland as founding partners of the Revere restoration initiative (Estée Lauder committing £500,000), AJ Bell Futures Foundation (£120,000/year, 2026-2027), Forest Holidays (National Park Futures), Sykes Holiday Cottages, Howdens, and Wildbounds. Long-standing operational partners include the Yorkshire Dales Millennium Trust and the statutory Yorkshire Dales Access Forum (established October 2002). The Authority adopted a new 15-year Yorkshire Dales Local Plan (2025-2040) in June 2025 and a new Design Guide in June 2026.

Name

Yorkshire Dales National Park

Legal name

Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority

Website

https://yorkshiredales.org.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1954

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority is a UK statutory public body established in 1954, managing 841 square miles of protected landscape in North Yorkshire for 24,000 residents and visitors through conservation, planning, and visitor services funded primarily by government grants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

National Park Conservation and Visitor Services

NAICS

Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (71219), Landscaping Services (561730), Support Activities for Forestry (11531), Administration of Conservation Programs (92412)

SIC

Forestry (800)

akta.pro primary industry

Conservation Easements & Land Trust Services (AFAMAMAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Tree Preservation & Construction Site Tree Protection (HSAIADAL), Right-of-Way & Vegetation Management (Utilities/Transportation Corridors) (BPABADAI), Tree Health Care (Diagnosis, Treatment, Fertilization) (HSAIADAD)

Keywords

• National park management
• Conservation services
• Statutory planning authority
• Visitor services
• Public land administration

Headquarters

HQ city

Bainbridge, North Yorkshire

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Government Funding: Public sector funding as a National Park Authority responsible for managing and protecting the Yorkshire Dales National Park.
2. Planning Fees: Fees charged for planning applications and related services.
3. Car Park Charges: Revenue generated from car parks throughout the National Park.
4. Catering Concessions: Contract revenue from catering franchise at Dales Countryside Museum (August 2026 - August 2029).
5. Retail Operations: The Authority operates a retail shop accessible via retail.yorkshiredales.org.uk.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority is a statutory public body that manages an 841-square-mile protected landscape in North Yorkshire. Its core services include visitor information and trip planning, statutory development management and planning policy (including the Local Plan 2025-2040 and Design Guide), conservation and nature recovery programmes, management of approximately 2,000 km of public rights of way, the Dales Countryside Museum, and grant funding such as the Sustainable Development Fund.

Product overview

The Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority operates as a public sector organization managing a national park, offering visitor services, planning administration, and conservation programs. The core offerings include visitor information and trip planning services (visitor centers, online resources, walking apps), a heritage attraction (Dales Countryside Museum), a community newspaper (Dales), and statutory planning services including the Local Plan and Design Guide. The Authority also administers grant programs such as the Sustainable Development Fund. This is not a technology product company but a government body focused on park management, conservation, and community services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Yorkshire Dales National Park Visitor Services Provides visitor information, planning tools, attractions directory, food and drink directory, towns and villages directory, and accessibility guidance for tourists visiting the Yorkshire Dales National Park.
• National Park Planning Services Statutory development management, planning application processing, planning advice surgeries, pre-application advice, appeals, enforcement, and policy services for the National Park area, governed by the Local Plan (2025-2040) and Design Guide.
• Dales Countryside Museum A museum in Hawes showcasing the cultural heritage, wildlife and landscape history of the Yorkshire Dales, with on-site catering concession (approximately 30 covers inside plus outdoor picnic seating) and licensing.
• Yorkshire Dales Walking Apps Mobile applications and digital trail guides for walking and outdoor activities across the Yorkshire Dales National Park, providing route navigation and recreation content for visitors.
• Sustainable Development Fund
• National Park Car Parks

Quantifiable outcome

• 81% satisfaction rating for Dales newspaper among National Park residents

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered major, core and minor.

• Vodafone UKmajorTechnology or IntegrationLandmark three-year partnership using AI technology to help connect people with nature and protect it for the future. Collaboration aims to modernise conservation efforts while enhancing public engagement with nature across UK National Parks.
• Forest HolidayscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorking together on 'National Park Futures' programme which seeks to connect over 20,000 young people with nature through Go Wild activity events in Malham and other National Parks.
• Sykes Holiday CottagescoreGTM or Marketing PartnerSupporting National Parks Protectors programme which delivers conservation projects across the Parks. Bookings through their Yorkshire Dales cottages help support the Authority's vital work.
• Pearl & Dean (Wild Spaces)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerWild Spaces cinema advertising partnership that funds nature restoration projects in National Parks.
• HowdensminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupporting nature recovery projects focusing on enhancing biodiversity, restoring local ecosystems, and contributing to urgent climate action across UK National Parks.
• WildboundsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerDonating 5% of proceeds from National Park Blankets to the National Parks Foundation to help protect and preserve these special landscapes.
• National Parks PartnershipscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational Parks Partnerships (NPP) coordinates commercial partnerships across all 15 UK National Parks, connecting brands with opportunities delivering environmental, social and economic impact.
• Yorkshire Dales Millennium TrustcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing local partner supporting conservation, access, and community projects within the Yorkshire Dales National Park.
• Yorkshire Dales Access ForumcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStatutory advisory body established in October 2002 following the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000, providing advice on public access improvement and recreation across 2,000 km of footpaths.
• Fred Olsen Renewables LtdminorOthersDeveloping proposals for Hope Moor Wind Farm, a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project (NSIP) located between Barnard Castle and Richmond, outside but close to the north-eastern boundary of the National Park.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Snowdonia (Eryri) National Park Authority: Welsh National Park Authority with identical statutory functions including planning, conservation, and access management. Comparable in geographic scale and visitor-driven revenue exposure.
• Exmoor National Park Authority: Smaller UK National Park Authority with directly comparable statutory functions, funding model, and operational footprint. Useful size benchmark for Yorkshire Dales.
• Lake District National Park Authority: Statutory UK National Park Authority with similar planning, conservation, and visitor service mandates over a comparably sized protected landscape. Operates on an analogous government funding + fee + partnership revenue model.
• New Forest National Park Authority: UK National Park Authority operating on the same statutory model with planning, conservation, and rights-of-way duties. Comparable in workforce scale and reliance on partnership funding.
• Peak District National Park Authority: First designated UK National Park Authority with matching statutory functions, including planning, rights of way management, conservation, and visitor centres. Closest analogue in operating model.
• North York Moors National Park Authority: Neighbouring UK National Park Authority with directly comparable statutory remit, scale, and revenue structure. Shares regional Yorkshire tourism ecosystem and partnership infrastructure.
• Dartmoor National Park Authority: UK National Park Authority with the same statutory remit for conservation, planning, and visitor services. Similar reliance on government grants and visitor-driven fee income.
• Cairngorms National Park Authority: Scottish National Park Authority with matching statutory conservation, planning, and visitor service mandate. Largest UK national park by area, providing scale benchmark.

Broad incumbents

• Norfolk Broads Authority: Statutory local authority with similar conservation, navigation, planning, and visitor service duties across a protected wetland. Operates an analogous government-funded + fee-based revenue model.

Others

• National Parks Partnerships: Centralised commercial partnership coordinator for all 15 UK National Parks. Manages the Vodafone, Santander, and Estée Lauder partnerships that directly benefit Yorkshire Dales.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/yorkshire_dales
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/TheYorkshiredales
• Facebookfacebook.com/yorkshiredales
• Instagraminstagram.com/yorkshiredales
• TikToktiktok.com/@yorkshiredalesnp
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/yorkshire-dales-national-park-authority

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Yorkshire Dales National Park