THEcommunities and landscape in the Ingleborough area are set to benefit from a major new conservation scheme, thanks to a £2 million grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund.

Over the next four years Stories in Stone will enable people from all backgrounds and of all ages to learn about, enjoy and help manage the stunning limestone landscape around Ingleborough, both above and below ground.

The scheme will deliver 27 main projects, some of which have several sub-projects, making around 60 in total.

This includes restoring field barns and drystone walls, restoring wildlife habitats, involving people in archaeological digs, digital archiving and collecting oral histories, supporting local people and groups working to look after their local area, providing a range of formal and informal training opportunities, offering new learning opportunities for local school children, and delivering events and activities. It will also improve physical and intellectual access to the area and its heritage features.

The scheme has been developed by the Ingleborough Dales Landscape Partnership, which is led by local charity Yorkshire Dales Millennium Trust (YDMT).

Don Gamble, scheme manager at YDMT, said: “Stories in Stone is an ambitious and exciting initiative that will enable people to celebrate and protect this internationally important landscape and its superb natural, built and cultural heritage. We are thrilled that after five years of detailed development and consultation work and strong partnership working the Heritage Lottery Fund has agreed to back us. We can’t wait to get things started.”

The total cost of the scheme is £2.6 million.

A meeting to promote Stories in Stone and let people know how they can get involved was held on Tuesday (December 8) at The Folly in Settle.