Little Beck Wood Nature Reserve

The Trust purchased the land west of Little Beck, leased from the Forestry Authority in 1986. A 10 hectare extension to the east was purchased from a local landowner in 2000. Now the reserve covers 26.1 hectares, and is a rich and diverse habitat.

In addition to its mature sessile oaks, it boasts a large community of bryophytes, fungi and a rich woodland mollusc fauna. There are exposures of Jurassic shale, forming the cliffs which produce the dramatic drop down to Little Beck from the wood. Situated low in the valley, the wood is sheltered from the extreme weather of the North York Moors and is far enough away from the sea to be unaffected by salt air. The popular Coast to Coast walk passes through the reserve east of Little Beck.

The wood is predominantly oak and ash with alders near the stream. Some of the oaks are between 100 and 200 years old. The understorey contains hazel, rowan, holly and wych elm. Spring flowering plants such as wood anemone, bluebell, primrose and early-purple orchid are present, whilst in the wetter habitats moschatel and alternate-leaved as well as opposite-leaved golden-saxifrage can be found. The birds associated with the woodland and stream habitats include populations of dipper, treecreeper, great spotted woodpecker, green woodpecker, woodcock and great, coal and marsh tits. Amongst the mammals known to frequent the wood are roe deer, fox, badger, hare and mole. Several Red Data Book invertebrate species are recorded on the reserve, which is managed as an example of a high forest oakwood habitat.

Woodland of the type found at Little Beck is uncommon so the Trust maintains this habitat by selected felling, and replanting, to encourage natural regeneration.

Directions

The reserve is five miles west of Robin Hood’s Bay. The northern approach from Whitby via Sneaton is easy, but routes from the west (A169, Pickering-Whitby road) or east (B1416, Scarborough-Whitby road) involve the descent of steep hills (1 in 3 gradient). The reserve entrance is in the village of Littlebeck, immediately south of the ford, along a bridleway. There is parking for one or two cars at the entrance but visitors have been kindly invited to park their cars at the village hall, 100 yards up the hill to the east of the ford. No charge is made for parking but there is a box for voluntary contributions at the hall door.