The Yorkshire Dales Access Forum (YDAF) consists of 17 members.
The members have been chosen to provide a balanced representation of:
Owners and occupiers of access land and land crossed by rights of way
Users of rights of way or the new right of access
Other interests relevant to the area such as tourism, transport, nature conservation, Access for All, volunteering and health.
If you would like to email a member of the YDAF, please send your email (marked clearly with the name of the member to whom it is to be addressed) to the Access Development Officer who will forward your message to the relevant individual.
Yorkshire Dales Access Forum members
(in alphabetical order)
Jon Beavan
From: Austwick
Appointment ends: January 2015
Background
Jon Beavan is the proprietor and manager of the Dalesbridge Centre in Austwick. He is a member of the Settle Chamber of Trade, the Settle-Carlisle Business Liaison Group, Yorkshire Tourist Board, British Cave Research Association and the Association of Caving Instructors. Jon is also a Duty Controller of the Cave Rescue Organisation. His interests include caving, walking, climbing, mountain biking, conservation and photography.
Area of representation:
Outdoor recreation (especially caving and climbing), local business and sustainable tourism.
Andrew Colley
From: Grassington
Appointment ends: January 2012
Now retired, Andrew Colley helps run a bed and breakfast business in Grassington where he and his wife have lived for twenty years. He enjoys walking in the Dales countryside, and he and his wife have kept rare breed sheep - Andrew has been chairman of the Dales Support Group of the Rare Breeds Survival Trust. His first love is fishing the River Wharfe which runs only three hundred yards past his house, on water run by the Grassington Angling Club, and on other stretches of water run by Yorkshire Anglers of which he is a life member. He is also a member of Grassington Parish Council.
Area of representation
YDNPA (Parish Council) appointee
David Gibson
From: Burton in Lonsdale
Appointment ends: January 2014
Background
David Gibson has been a member of the Ramblers Association for over 20 years. David is the chair of the West Riding Ramblers Association Access Committee, Access Officer for Craven Group and Footpath Officer for Craven outside the Dales NP. David also has an interest in local archaeology, Access for All and woodland management.
Area of representation
Walking
Neil Heseltine
From: Malham
Appointment ends: January 2013
Background
Neil Heseltine was born in Malham where he still lives and farms. Neil was educated at Ermysteds Grammar School, Skipton, and Seale Hayne Agricultural College before spending time travelling and working on farms, firstly in New Zealand then Kelso, Scotland. Neil plays rugby at Wharfedale RUFC and cricket for Littondale and more recently Settle CC. He is currently involved with Malham Parish Council, is a committee member of the National Sheep Association and is the Chairman of Malham Show.
Area of representation
Land management
Alexander Law
From: Richmond
Appointment ends: January 2015
Background
Alexander Law has spent most of his life associated with, and living in, the Yorkshire Dales National Park. Alex studied at Harper Adams University College and has an MSc Rural Environment and Land Management. He then travelled and worked on farms, including New Zealand and Canada, and has worked as a stockman and shepherd on the Isle of Luing, Scotland. Alex is now currently an assistant Land Rehabilitation manager for UK Coal mining, but in his spare time enjoys dry-stone walling and other general agricultural activities. Alex also enjoys hill walking and mountain biking.
Area of representation
Land management
Ken Miller
From: Middleham
Appointment ends: January 2013
Background
Ken Miller was brought up and worked for many years in the equine world. He had his own smallholding and stables before becoming a Civil Servant for the Ministry of Defence.
Whilst retaining his equine interests, he is also a keen cyclist and walker. Ken has worked on bridleway and footpath issues in a voluntary capacity for over 25 years.
He is especially interested in access for people with disabilities; particularly into the more challenging areas of our countryside.
Area of representation
Horse riding, walking and cycling
Stuart Monk
From: Ingleton
Appointment ends:January 2013
Background
Stuart Monk is an engineer who lives and works in the fringe of the Yorkshire Dales National Park. He has been an active trail rider of motorcycles for over 25 years and as such has a good knowledge of the ‘green lanes’ within the area. Stuart is the chairman of the North Yorkshire Trail Management Advisory Group. He is also a member of the Cumbria group of the Trail Riders Fellowship and the Yorkshire Dales Green Lanes Advisory Group.
Area of representation
Vehicular user of green lanes.
Jerry Pearlman
From: Leeds
Appointment ends: January 2015
Background
Jerry Pearlman is a solicitor in private practice. He specialises in various matters relating to the countryside (especially rights of way) and to National Parks. He is the Honorary Solicitor to the Ramblers Association at national level and to the Open Spaces Society. He drafted the first two private members parliamentary bills outlining the right to roam.
Although based in Leeds, he admits to having a second home in Wensleydale - but always makes the point that it has been his second home for over 40 years!
Area of representation
Walking, geology and archaeology
Malcolm Petyt
From: Killington near Sedbergh
Malcolm Petyt’s career was spent in various universities. He became involved with footpath matters through the Chiltern Society and the Ramblers’ Association in the mid 1970s, and for 25 years was the RA's appointee on the governing council of the National Trust. He has also served on the Executive and Properties Committees of the Trust.
Since retiring Malcolm has taken on posts with the Ramblers' Association in Cumbria, and with both the Yorkshire Dales Society and the Friends of the Lake District. He is a member of the Local Access Forum for the Lake District National Park and since 2002 has been a nationally-appointed to the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority.
Area of representation
YDNPA Member Champion for Access and Recreation
John Harvey Richardson
From: Selby
Appointment ends: January 2015
Background
John Richardson has been a user of the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority for much of his life, including recreational activities such as walking, motor cycling, and motor sport. John is the Chair of LARA, Motorsports Land Access and Recreation Association. He is also currently involved with the Rallies Committee, the Motor Sports Association, and is the Hon. President of the Association of Northern Car Clubs and Hon. Chairman of Yorkshire Motorsports Forest Users Group. Other interests include Ornithology, being a member of the RSPB
Area of representation
Recreational Vehicles
David Seaman
From: Harrogate
Appointment ends: January 2014
Background
David Seaman did his first full-day walk in the Yorkshire Dales at the age of 15 and has been coming back ever since, particularly since moving to Harrogate 30 years ago. His main activity in the countryside is hill-walking though, since retirement, he has done some mountain-biking and fell-racing and he is interested in the conservation of wildlife and the natural environment. He is a member of the Ramblers Association, the Austrian Alpine Club and the Yorkshire Dales Green Lanes Alliance.
Area of representation
Fell running, mountain biking and walking
Sara Spillett
From: Kettlewell
Appointment ends: January 2014
Background
Sara Spillett is a Chartered Environmentalist with over 20 years experience of environmental regulation, policy development and implementation for the Environment Agency and Defra. A resident of the Yorkshire Dales National Park all her adult life, she enjoys nature watching and photography, as well as number of sports including paragliding, walking, mountain biking and on occasion sailing. Sara is an active member and treasurer of the Upper Wharfedale Fell Rescue Association and treasurer of Kettlewell’s scarecrow festival.
Area of representation
Fell rescue, paragliding and hang gliding.
Mike Stephenson
From: Foxup, Littondale
Appointment ends: January 2013
Background
Mike Stephenson is a retired director of youth work who has lived in Foxup, Littondale, since 2006. Mike has been a recreational user of the Yorkshire Dales National Park for over 60 years, his primary pursuits being walking and scrambling. Mike has also organised and led expeditions for young people in the Yorkshire Dales. In his spare time, Mike is a part-time voluntary farmhand in Foxup.
Area of representation
Walking, working with young people, farming in the Yorkshire Dales.
Heather Thomas-Smith
From: Long Preston
Appointment ends: January 2015
Background
Heather Thomas-Smith is a County Walking Advisor for GGUK (Girlguiding UK), and co-founded LoPRA (Long Preston Residents Association). Heather walks on a daily basis in the Yorkshire Dales and has held voluntary roles with the RSPB and CPRE. She is also a member of the BMC and a long-term supporter of a number of charities. In her spare time she enjoys hill walking, travel, conservation, kayaking, wild camping, photography and art.
Area of representation
Others (community/parish councils)
Alistair Thompson
From: Harrogate
Appointment ends: January 2015
Background
Alistair Thompson is a Programme & Facilities Manager currently working for Bupa Care Services. He has been a Dales Volunteer since 2005 and many of his regular duties in this capacity include maintenance and usage surveys of paths, bridleways, bridges, buildings, and access areas. He is also involved in the Park's guided walks programme and has a particular interest in hill walking and teaching map reading to help visitors and others to appreciate and enjoy the landscape safely and confidently.
Area of interest
Volunteering
Pat Whelan
From: Richmond
Appointment ends: January 2015
Background
Pat Whelan is a retired farmer and has been a member of the British Driving Society for 20 years. Pat also has worked as a Rights of Way Officer for Yorkshire and the North East and has been a Member of various rights of way committees.
Area of representation
Landowner and British Driving Society (equine)
Philip Woodyer
From: Preston-under-Scar
Appointment ends: January 2014
Background
Philip Woodyer is the retired Head of Centre at Low Mill Outdoor Centre. He is a parish councillor and a member of the Institute for Outdoor Learning. Philip is also a member of the National Caving Association and attends the Northern Panel of the Local Cave Leaders Training and Assessment Scheme. His interests include caving, outdoor learning, mountaineering, climbing, kayaking, mountain-biking and access for people with disabilities.
Area of representation
Outdoor education and recreation (especially caving and climbing).
