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Viewing swaag.org website implies consent to set cookies on your computer. Full details Swaledale and Arkengarthdale Archaeology Group
Registered Charitable Incorporated Organisation Number 1155775
SWAAG Honorary President:
Tim Laurie F,S,A,

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 *****SWAAG_ID***** 289
 Date Entered 30/10/2011
 Updated on 06/11/2011
 Recorded by Tim Laurie
 Category Tree Site Record
 Record Type Botanical HER
 SWAAG Site Ellerton Moor
 Site Access Army Range
 Record Date 28/05/2010
 Location Ellerton Scar West
 Civil Parish Ellerton Abbey
 Brit. National Grid SE 085 966
 Altitude 320m
 Geology Site Type: a) Limestone cliff formed from massively bedded strata of The Main Limestone. b) Richmond Chert Strata which outcrop above the eastern section of the Scar. c) Limestone Scree and consolidated talus below the cliff. d) Kame terrace. e) Protallus rampart. f) Landslip originating from the kame terrace below the western section of the Scar.
 Record Name Relict Woodland on Ellerton Scar
 Record Description Ellerton Scar is rarely visited and probably relatively unknown to the visitor and Swaledale resident alike, in truth the jungle of Borneo is probably more familiar to the general public than is the yew woodland on and below the limestone scars of Swaledale. Ellerton Scar itself is on private land and forms the northern boundary of the Army Range. Walkers on the permissive footpath above the Scar may pass by without noticing this beautiful cliff below with its fine woodland. Four distinct zones of Ellerton Scar are recognised, each with its own distinctive woodland community. 1. The uppermost fringe of the cliff. See photo ELL.S1.4 Yews and ash are co dominants but with wych elm, oak (on chert strata at the eastern section of the cliff) hazel, rowan, holly, elder, blackthorn, sallow. 2. The face and base of the cliff. See photo ELL.S1.5 Again, yews are co-dominant with ash and yews occasionally form a closed canopy at the base of the cliff. 3. The limestone scree. See photo ELL.S1.6 Scattered yew, ash, elders, birch. 4. The consolidated lower talus slope and the kame terrace. See photo ELL.S1.7 Open birch wood with rare oak and holly. Birch does not grow on the face of the limestone cliff, it is present on the overlying chert strata. The well define kame terrace below the scree is fully vegetated grazed grass pasture on mixed glacial clays, sands and gravels which have slumped at the western end to form a very large solifluction lobe (landslide or rock avalanche, see Google Maps image) well seen above Scar Farm at NGR SE086 968. (SE085,966 (West) to SE092,072 (East). )
 Dimensions 600m west of Scar Spring Wood
 Geographical area Lower Swaledale
 Species Limestone Ashwood Communitiy with juniper (J.comm. ssp nana) and cliff yews
 Common / Notable Species See above
 Associated Site SWAAG ID 290
 Additional Notes Aspect: Ellerton Scar is aligned on a South West-North East axis and is fully exposed to the prevailing winds but does receive late sunshine. Common species present: Face of the Scar: Species rich Limestone Ashwood with much ash, yew, and wych elm (mostly dead but with many young regenerating shoots from old stumps) hazel, elder, rowan, sallow (see photo ELL.S1.8), blackthorn, hawthorn, dog rose, ivy, The vary rare Alpine Juniper (J. comm. var nana) occurs Overlying Richmond Chert Strata (which are exposed towards the eastern section of the Scar). Mixed deciduous woodland with a fringe of oak/birch woodland towards the eastern end of the Scar. Limestone scree: depleted Limestone ashwood with occasional ash trees, yews, old hawthorns, blackthorn, elder. Consolidated talus slope and Kame terrace Where heavily grazed: relict open birch wood with occasional oak. Where protected from grazing within Spring Scar Wood: species rich mixed deciduous woodland with coppiced oak, yew, birch and much birdcherry thicket. Generally: Holly is present but surprisingly scarce. Sallows are present where inaccessible to stock. Rowan frequent. Hazel present but not common except in Spring Scar Wood where it is coppiced. Bird cherry is not present except in Spring Scar Wood.
 Image 1 ID 1111         Click image to enlarge
 Image 1 Description Ellerton Scar from Kame Terrace. Holly and hawthorn remnants of ancient hedgerow in foreground.
 Image 2 ID 1102         Click image to enlarge
 Image 2 Description  Ellerton Scar West. View Westward
 Image 3 ID 1103         Click image to enlarge
 Image 3 Description Ellerton Scar West. View eastward from kame terrace.
 Image 4 ID 1104         Click image to enlarge
 Image 4 Description Ellerton Scar West.Yew with ash and elder 068
 Image 5 ID 1105         Click image to enlarge
 Image 5 Description Ellerton Scar Central. The two junipers grow on the top of a detached stack here.
 Image 6 ID 1106         Click image to enlarge
 Image 6 Description Ellerton Scar West
 Image 7 ID 1107         Click image to enlarge
 Image 7 Description Ellerton Scar West
 Image 8 ID 1108         Click image to enlarge
 Image 8 Description Ellerton Scar West
 Image 9 ID 1109         Click image to enlarge
 Image 9 Description Ellerton Scar West
 Image 10 ID 1110         Click image to enlarge
 Image 10 Description Ellerton Scar West
 
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