Enjoy The Dales — Locals Urge Visitors To Leave No Trace As Summer Crowds Return

Local business owners and community leaders across North Yorkshire are appealing to summer visitors to enjoy the Yorkshire Dales responsibly as the parks prepare for a busy season.

Stump Cross Caverns co-owner Lisa Bowerman says the summer tourism trade keeps her business going through the winter [Richard Edwards/BBC]

Stump Cross Caverns Prepares For A Busiest-Ever Summer

Lisa Bowerman, co-owner of Stump Cross Caverns — a cave system discovered in 1860 and operated as a private attraction since the early 1900s — says her team is making final preparations for what could be the attraction's busiest summer yet. In 2024 Bowerman and her fiancee, Nick, handed day-to-day business decisions to their son Oliver so Lisa could focus on the caverns' creative and educational programmes. The site employs 30 staff during the holidays, with 20 kept on through winter.

Cllr Richard Foster, pictured in the village of Burnsall, is urging tourists to visit - but to take their litter home [Richard Edwards/BBC]

"While most people are lovely, we do get some irresponsible visitors. We're just asking people to show a bit of extra thought," Bowerman says.

Simple Rules, Big Impact

Bowerman and local councillors are asking visitors to follow straightforward precautions: avoid littering, park considerately, keep dogs under control and do not use disposable barbecues, which present a serious fire risk. These measures protect wildlife, livestock and the livelihoods dependent on tourism and farming.

Left, Dales visitors Anna Swaytin and Muzzy Petra, and right, Dales residents Jessica Beeson and son Cameron [Richard Edwards/BBC]

Heightened Wildfire Risk

Officials warn the Dales and the North York Moors face elevated wildfire risk after prolonged dry spells. Last summer's blaze on Langdale and Fylingdales moors burned for more than 40 days and is believed to have been started by cooking with a naked flame, according to North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service. A separate fire about 1.8 miles (3 km) away was linked to a discarded cigarette. Earlier this month a barbecue-related fire at Chop Gate destroyed around eight acres before firefighters and roughly 30 volunteer gamekeepers and farmers contained it.

Greg White, a North Yorkshire Conservative councillor, chimney sweep, and bed & breakfast owner [Richard Edwards/BBC]

"People are worried, so please: do come, enjoy the moors, but please stop lighting fires," says Councillor Greg White.

Voices From The Dales

Residents and visitors alike stress that the Dales are both a workplace and a home. Visitors Anna Swaytin and Muzzy Petra, travelling from Burma, expressed shock at the litter problem and urged care for the landscape. Local resident Jessica Beeson — originally from the New Forest — supports a complete ban on barbecues, noting similar measures worked well in her home area.

How You Can Help

What Visitors Can Do:

• Take All Rubbish Home — Avoid Leaving Litter That Harms Wildlife And Livestock.
• Park Responsibly — Use Designated Car Parks And Follow Local Signs.
• Keep Dogs Under Control — Respect Grazing Animals And Wildlife.
• Avoid Disposable Barbecues And Open Fires — They Can Ignite Moorland Quickly.
• Follow National Park Rules And Support Campaigns Like "Don't Spark Disaster."

Protecting the Dales preserves livelihoods and the landscape for future generations. "By doing that, everyone stays safe and the Dales are protected for generations to come," Bowerman says.

Local leaders welcome visitors but ask for common sense and courtesy: bring a picnic, take your rubbish home, park considerately and enjoy the beauty responsibly.