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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***** 720
 Date Entered 03/05/2013
 Updated on 03/05/2013
 Recorded by Tim Laurie
 Category Tree Site Record
 Record Type Botanical HER
 Site Access Public Access Land
 Record Date 02/05/2013
 Location Walden Moor. Deepdale Gill and Deepdale Scar
 Civil Parish Burton cum Walden
 Brit. National Grid SD 9725 797o
 Altitude 430m to 490m
 Geology Main Limestone strata down to the Underset Limestone.
 Record Name Walden Moor. Depleted woodland in Deepdale Gill and on Deepdale Head Scar.
 Record Description Walden Moor. Depleted woodland in Deepdale Gill and on Deepdale Head Scar with a relict limestone woodland community now limited to a few rowans, stunted hazel in the Gill at 440m elevation (see photos) hawthorns, blackthorns and downy rose. Dog's Mercury (Mercurialis perennis) is surprisingly widespread, growing on cliff ledges by the stream and on the scar and this indicator points to the one time presence of a full limestone ashwood community here. Ferns are few. Maidenhair spleenwort and wall rue being the only species seen. The fact that the limestone scars are not vertical and therefor accessible to rabbits would account for the absence of tree regeneration.
 Geographical area Wensleydale
 Species Rowan. Hazel (stunted bushes on streamside cliff in Gill at 440m). Hawthorn. Blackthorn. Downy rose.
 Common / Notable Species Dogs mercury. Maidenhair spleenwort.
 Tree and / or Stem Girth All trees stunted and wind coppiced.
 Additional Notes In contrast to the waterfall ravines and limestone scars at the heads of tributary streams of Swaledale and of the Tees-Greta Uplands which generally support species rich relict woodland often with yew, juniper and aspen, the geologically very similar ravines of Wensleydale support very depleted, species poor relict woodland. Yew is present only at one location on the limestone scars of Wensleydale and is generally distributed throughout Swaledale (except in the Main Dale between Muker and Marrick. Juniper does not exist in Wensleydale and is present at more than 50 locations in Swaledale, see Laurie 2012. Aspen is present in Swaledale at more than thirty locations in Swaledale. Aspen is rare in Upper Wensleydale, being present only in hedgerows at lower elevations and very rarely seen in the upper Gills.
 Image 1 ID 4392         Click image to enlarge
 Image 1 Description Deepdale Gill at 440m elevation. Stunted hazel, rowan and downy rose on the low cliff above the stream.
 Image 2 ID 4393         Click image to enlarge
 Image 2 Description Deepdale Gill at 440m elevation. Stunted hazel, rowan and downy rose on the low cliff above the stream.
 Image 3 ID 4394         Click image to enlarge
 Image 3 Description View upward from the Gill towards towards Deepdale Head Scar.
 Image 4 ID 4395         Click image to enlarge
 Image 4 Description Two isolated small rowans with a few hawthorn bushes are the only surviving remnants of the woodland which once existed here.
 Image 5 ID 4396         Click image to enlarge
 Image 5 Description Recording at these cliff locations requires great care and these scars should not be climbed a they are not as easy to climb as they seem.
 
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