Southerscales Nature Reserve

The reserve of 42.6 hectares lies at an altitude of approximately 323m amidst dramatic scenery. The Ingleborough section of the famous Three Peaks Walk passes through the reserve. Here, the typical features of limestone country – the scars, the potholes, the limestone pavement and the limestone grassland – may be seen, along with a remarkable variety of ferns and flowering plants. About half of the reserve is classic Karst Carboniferous Limestone pavement presenting a wonderful example of clint and grike formation (the clints are the blocks and the grikes are the fissures between the blocks); the remainder consists of calcareous and acid grassland.

The reserve also includes a small paddock above the old Souther Scales Farm buildings. The pavement has a rich grike flora with baneberry, lesser meadow-rue and hairy stonecrop. Twelve species of ferns have been recorded, including rigid buckler-fern and polypody. The limestone grassland contains bird’s-eye primrose and mountain everlasting, while heather grows sparsely in the acid grassland. An area of blanket bog holds cross-leaved heath, cranberry and round-leaved sundew.

Birds including wheater and meadow pipit breed here whilst ring ouzel - a globally threatened species, have also been seen, often in the vicinity of the shake holes, the largest of which is Braithwaite Wife Hole, 155 metres in circumference.

The Trust made Southerscales stockproof and in 1987 was able to re-introduce the traditional grazing regime of cattle in summer and sheep in winter. This is in ecological balance with the growth-cycle of the plants on the reserve. It means that Southerscales is empty of stock just at the time when the leaves of flowering plants are beginning to grow, until the grass is long enough for cattle to eat, which allows time for spring flowers to blossom.

Directions

The reserve is off the B6255 Ingleton to Hawes road in North Yorkshire. Park in the car park next to the Old Hill Inn and take the path (signposted Ingleborough) just beyond the
Inn towards Hawes. Another path to Souther Scales Farm and ultimately the reserve, leaves the B6255 opposite Chapel le Dale.