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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***** 519
 Date Entered 13/05/2012
 Updated on 13/05/2012
 Recorded by Tim Laurie
 Category Tree Site Record
 Record Type Botanical HER
 Site Access Public Access Land
 Record Date 12/05/2012
 Location Gilmonby CP Stainmore. Ravine at lower end of Hugill
 Civil Parish Not known
 Brit. National Grid NY 9770 1267
 Altitude 304m
 Geology Chert strata overlying Great Limestone exposed in the stream cut gorge.
 Record Name Aspen Grove in Lower Ravine. Hugill.
 Record Description Aspen grove with trees of at least three generations on face of chert strata forming a sheer cliff above Hugill Beck at the lower end of the ravine below Hugill Force Waterfall. At least one of the trees is multi-stemmed with three trunks springing from an ancient rootstock, see photo. Small willows and rowan grow with the aspens and a species rich Limestone Ashwood Community is present on the limestone below the aspens in the gorge cut by the stream.
 Dimensions See photos.
 Geographical area Stainmore
 Species Aspen
 Scientific Name Populus tremula
 Common / Notable Species Rowan, Sallow.
 Additional Notes Aspen groves have been recognised at two localities further west on Sleightholme Beck and these two additional aspen groves below Hugill Force indicate that aspens were once more widespread across Stainmore.Individual aspen stems are not long lived but the colony or grove is self regenerating with young shoots or ramets springing from roots of ancestral trees. Accordingly it is probable that aspens have been present here since first colonisation of Britain by trees during the Early Post Glacial and Early Mesolithic Period some 10000-12000 years ago. There is an association of Aspen with Juniper and this is seen in Upper Swaledale, however, rather surprisingly,Juniper has not been recorded on Stainmore within the catchment of the Greta but is widespread in similar localities at the head of the Tees and the Tees Tributaries further North.
 Image 1 ID 2840         Click image to enlarge
 Image 1 Description Cloned aspens on chert strata exposed above the lower end of Hugill.
 Image 2 ID 2841         Click image to enlarge
 Image 2 Description Three aspen stems springing from an ancient rootstock. Individual aspen stems are not long lived but the colony or grove is self regenerating from the roots of ancestral trees. Accordingly it is probable that aspens have been present here since first colonisation of Britain by trees during the Early Post Glacial and Early Mesolithic Period some 10000-12000 years ago.
 Image 3 ID 2836         Click image to enlarge
 Image 3 Description The lower ravine and stream cut gorge below Hugill Force.
 Image 4 ID 2837         Click image to enlarge
 Image 4 Description Aspen trees at the top of the ravine.
 Image 5 ID 2838         Click image to enlarge
 Image 5 Description Aspen trees at the top of the ravine.
 Image 6 ID 2839         Click image to enlarge
 Image 6 Description The aspen Grove on chert strata exposed at the top of the east bank of the ravine
 
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