NATURE-lovers are in for a summer of celebration as a Yorkshire Dales’ flower festival returns due to popular demand.

The annual Flowers of the Dales extravaganza will feature more than 100 wildflower-inspired events between March and October all across the National Park.

Co-ordinated by the Yorkshire Dales Millennium Trust, it celebrates the region’s wildflower-rich hay meadows and moorland fringes, which are home to a wide range of wildlife and rare species of wildflowers, insects and mammals.

This year’s festival has been supported by the Linden Charitable Trust and People's Postcode Lottery, with 50p from every £2 ticket going to charities including YDMT.

More than 19,000 people have enjoyed taking part in the Flowers of the Dales celebrations since its debut in 2009.

Events this year will include guided walks, identification courses, art exhibitions, children's craft activities, bug hunts and 'grow wild' activities to name just a few, run by expert individuals and organisations.

Project officer Tanya St Pierre said “Finding time in our hectic lives to relax in the countryside and appreciate the beauty of nature is great for the mind, body and soul.”

“We hope that the participants will help us spread the word so that the Yorkshire Dales will be valued, treasured and cared for, ensuring it remains a truly special place for future generations.”

To download a festival programme visit ydmt.org/Festival2014 or to donate visit ydmt.org.