The Yorkshire Dales has many moods; it can be wild and windswept or quietly tranquil.

It includes some of the finest limestone scenery in the UK, from crags and pavements to an underground labyrinth of caves. Each valley or 'dale' has its own distinct character, set against expansive heather moorland tops.

Stone-built villages sit amongst traditional farming landscapes of field barns, drystone walls and flower-rich hay meadows, and show how the area has been shaped over thousands of years by the people who have lived and worked here.

Spectacular waterfalls and ancient broadleaved woodland contrast with the scattered remains of former mine workings and other rural industries which remind us of the area's rich industrial heritage.

Together, nature and people have created a special landscape of immense beauty and character.

Friends of the Three Peaks

The Friends of the Three Peaks are a group of individuals and organisations who want to protect and enhance the special qualities of the distinctive and inspirational landscapes around Pen-y-gent, Whernside and Ingleborough.

The organisation was launched in 2009 as an off-shoot of the Three Peaks Project, which aims to raise enough money each year to fund an extra ranger whose main job is to be on and around the mountains keeping paths in good order.

Anyone can join the Friends of the Three Peaks. Individual membership is £10 each year. Joining is a way of demonstrating long-term commitment and support for the Three Peaks. Without your support, the footpaths we all love will rapidly fall into disrepair and the surrounding landscape will be damaged.

Benefits of being a member can be found on the website: Friends of the Three Peaks or by contacting the Yorkshire Dales National Park’s Area Manager, Kate Hilditch: kate.hilditch@yorkshiredales.org.uk

Pitch in for Whernside

Later this year the Three Peaks Project is planning to create a 200m section of stone-pitched path down one of the steepest sections of the descent from Whernside, known locally as Bruntscar. It is becoming increasingly eroded. Running and walking is unpleasant and a growing scar is appearing across the landscape. The newly pitched route has been designed to create the least possible impact and withstand the thousands of people who use it each year.

Delivering materials and working in such an exposed location means the task is huge. First, £46,000 needs to be raised to fund the work. The Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority’s “Pitch in for Whernside” campaign is part of the British Mountaineering Council’s national “Make One Million” fundraising project. Please donate at: Mend Mountains - Yorkshire Dales

To join the campaign email: threepeaksproject@yorkshiredales.org.uk

or contact Kate Hilditch on 01756 751631.

£1 from every Three Peaks Race entry is donated to the Friends, but this year perhaps you would also like to support the special effort being made on Bruntscar.