Ashberry Nature Reserve

This reserve is located in a beautiful setting, occupying the sides and floor of a deep valley in an area of considerable geological complexity where the rocks are of the Upper Jurassic. The valley bottom is on the Oxford Clay, whilst higher up the valley sides are sandstones, calcareous sandstones and oolitic limestones of the Corallian. The normally acid soils of the valley floor clay are modified by limestone gravels, tufa and calcareous springs. The complexity accounts for the variety of habitats in a small area. The reserve of 48.6 hectares is leased by the Trust from Mr Richard Beckett.

The whole reserve is good habitat for plants of limestone grassland and calcareous flushes. Bird’s-eye primrose occurs around some of the flushes and globeflower grows in the wet grassland; marsh hawk’s-beard and grass of Parnassus are plentiful. Black bog-rush occurs in two of the larger areas of springs, and common butterwort and marsh lousewort (or red rattle) are generally distributed. Several interesting sedges occur. Most of the steeper slopes are wooded, with oak, birch and ash as the main species. Mammals of the area visit the woodlands and red, fallow and roe deer still occur.

A list of more than 60 bird species has been recorded and these reflect the twin habitats of moist grassland and the surrounding woodland. Freshwater shrimps and crayfish are found in the stream that runs through the reserve. The quality and diversity of habitat supports a nationally important invertebrate community.

Directions

The reserve is about half-a-mile west of Rievaulx about three miles north-west of Helmsley.

If approaching from Helmsley, take the B1257 Stokesley road for approximately one-and-a-half miles and take a left turn onto the Scawton road. Descend through woods, turn left across the River Rye and turn right towards Old Byland after a further quarter-of-a-mile. There is a limited roadside parking. Access to the reserve is via a gate.