Jeffry Bog Nature Reserve

Jeffry Bog is a relic wetland pasture with important lowland marsh and a herb-rich field located on the Derwent, here it cuts through the Jurassic Limestone of the Howardian Hills in the Kirkham Gorge. Traces of ridge and furrow are to be seen in the eastern part of the reserve.

Jeffry Bog comprises neutral grassland, marsh and wet alder woodland. Most of the alder is in Jeffry Bog Plantation, which is not part of the reserve. The reserve consists of two fields bisected by a ditch that is fed by a spring. The land east of the ditch is species-rich, largely unimproved grassland, which is grazed. West of the ditch is an area of marsh, with a smaller area of alder carr, but there are also drier areas, and this side has been left relatively untouched.

Both fields are rich in flowering plants. These include betony, bogbean, common dog-violet, great and salad burnet, cowslip, marsh marigold, marsh valerian, meadowsweet, early-purple and common spotted-orchids, pignut, ragged-robin, wood anemone, blunt-flowered rush, oval and brown sedges and marsh arrowgrass. Where the reserve meets the riverside the area becomes wet underfoot. There, yellow iris and large bitter-cress are abundant.

Several species of butterfly, moth and dragonfly can be seen and there are some spectacular ant hills in the reserve’s north-west corner. The river and woodlands attract a wide range of birds including great spotted and green woodpeckers, siskin, little grebe, sand martin and kingfisher. This site of three hectares was purchased by the Trust in 1986 with support from the then WWF-UK.

Cattle are used to graze the pastures during the summer to help restore them back to traditional wetland pastures. This encourages uncommon species whilst controlling weeds and scrub. The emergent vegetation along the river margins is maintained by excluding stock. Staff and volunteers monitor the effectiveness of these management practices.

Directions

The reserve is situated six miles south-west of Malton, two miles east of Kirkham Abbey and about one mile north of Westow. Park cars at the roadside opposite the entrance to church farm being careful not to obstruct either of the farm tracks.

Walk down the farm tracks opposite the farm to the reserve.