North Yorkshire Geodiversity Partnership

Ingleton Quarry, Precambrian
Malham Cove Carboniferous
West Burton Falls Carboniferous
Cleave Dyke Quarry, Jurassic
Geology

Geology

Geological Sites

Geological Sites

Rocks for us

Rocks For Us

National Character Areas

In the 1990’s English Nature (now Natural England) adopted a ‘Natural Areas’ approach to nature conservation, and in 1996 an English Nature report (1) assessed the geological importance of each of the Natural Areas. Using a range of criteria, including the number of geological Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), in the area, the geological importance of each one was described as being outstanding, considerable, notable or some.

With some alterations to the boundaries, the Natural Areas have now been replaced by National Character Areas (NCAs) which divide England into 159 distinct natural areas, 15 of which occur in the North Yorkshire Geodiversity Partnership Area. Each is defined by a unique combination of landscape, biodiversity, geodiversity and cultural and economic activity. Their boundaries follow natural lines in the landscape rather than administrative boundaries, making them a good decision making framework for the natural environment.

REFCODE NAME NOTE GEOLOGICAL IMPORTANCE
18 HOWGILL FELLS Formerly Cumbria Fells and Dales Outstanding
19 SOUTH CUMBRIA LOW FELLS
21 YORKSHIRE DALES Formerly combined Outstanding
22 PENNINE DALES FRINGE
23 TEES LOWLANDS Formerly Lower Tees Notable
24 VALE OF MOWBRAY Formerly combined with the Vale of York Considerable
25 NORTH YORKSHIRE MOORS AND CLEVELAND HILLS Formerly included the Howardian Hills Outstanding
28 VALE OF YORK Formerly combined with the Vale of Mowbray Considerable
29 HOWARDIAN HILLS Formerly included in the North Yorkshire Moors Outstanding
30 SOUTHERN MAGNESIAN LIMESTONE Considerable
33 BOWLAND FRINGE AND PENDLE HILL Formerly the Forest of Bowland Notable
34 BOWLAND FELLS
35 LANCASHIRE VALLEYS Considerable
36 SOUTHERN PENNINES Notable
39 HUMBERHEAD LEVELS Some

Detailed area profiles are available from http://www.naturalengland.org.uk/publications/nca/

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Figure: NYGP NCA – National Character Areas in the North Yorkshire Geodiversity Partnership Area