Ashes Pasture Nature Reserve

Ashes Pasture Nature Reserve - Charlotte Bickler

Ashes Pasture Nature Reserve - Charlotte Bickler

The largest of our cluster of reserves at the north-eastern tip of Ingleborough, this diverse grassland is home to nationally rare flower species, including ten species of orchid. A rare example of an upland hay meadow, only a handful of fragments of these wildlife-rich habitats remain in the Yorkshire Dales.

Location

Off the B6479,
1 mile south of the B6255 junction (Ribblehead)
near Hawes
North Yorkshire
LA6 3JF (nearest)

OS Map Reference

SD776784
what.3.words /// ribcage.apples.cure
A static map of Ashes Pasture Nature Reserve

Know before you go

Size
26 hectares
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Entry fee

Free
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Parking information

There is no designated car park for the reserve. There is room for 1 car to park 100m from the reserve entrance way, along the B6479 towards Ribblehead on the right. Please note B6479 (Gauber Road) can be busy with fast traffic and poor visibility.

Grazing animals

Sheep and cattle.

Walking trails

The reserve is open access. Follow the informal nature trail to get excellent views of the reserve's wildflowers. We ask visitors to be aware of the fragile nature of the flowering plants. Entry is via the gate from B6479.

Access

Wheelchair access is limited to a fenced hard standing containing interpretation board immediately adjacent to reserve entrance.  Land beyond the reserve entrance slopes away quite steeply towards lower fields and is very uneven. Great care to be taken by all visitors, especially in wet conditions.

Dogs

No dogs permitted

When to visit

Opening times

Open at all times. We recommend a half day visit for this reserve. However, if you'd like to stay longer why not visit our other nearby reserves (Salt Lake Quarry, Southerscales and Brae Pasture).

Best time to visit

May to June

About the reserve

When the blanket of beautiful wildflowers is buzzing with bees, and the calls of cuckoos, curlews and skylarks drift on the breeze, there are few finer places to be than idyllic Ashes Pasture in late spring. It’s a joy for orchid lovers, supporting ten species including the scarce small white orchid and heath spotted orchid. Other colourful flowers to enjoy include devil’s-bit scabious, globeflower and bird’s-eye primrose. In autumn, look for goldfinches feeding on the seeds of meadowsweet and the common carder bee nectaring on late blooms. 

Contact us

Yorkshire Wildlife Trust
Contact number: 01904 659570
Contact email: info@ywt.org.uk

Environmental designation

Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI)
Special Areas of Conservation (SAC)
Purple mountain pansies growing in a grassy field..

Mountain Pansies - (C) John Potter

New heights for nature

Ingleborough and its iconic foothills are the last stronghold for rare and threatened species that are found nowhere else in the world.

We must protect, restore and reconnect this iconic landscape today before these species are lost forever.

Discover more today

About

This reserve is designated as a Special Site of Scientific Interest (SSSI) and a Special Area of Conservation (SAC) due to its species-rich grasslands.

Ashes Pasture is made up of a number of different habitat types including acid grassland, wet flush, wooded gill, hay meadow, neural and calcareous grassland. The diversity of habitats and environmental factors lead to high botanical diversity. The site can be divided into the predominately acid grasslands on its upper slopes with areas of calcareous influence leading to high plant diversity. The lower pastures are managed as a hay meadow which produces a herb-rich grassland.

The reserve supports several nationally rare species of flora including over 12 species of orchid such as the nationally scare small white orchid; bird’s-eye primrose; and blue-moor grass.

A wooded gill on the reserve provides suitable habitat for black grouse, while the rush pasture provides cover for snipe through the winter. 

Come the spring common spotted orchid, fragrant orchid and wood cranesbill bring colour to the meadow and curlew can be heard calling from the fields surrounding the meadow.  

In summer greater butterfly orchid, devil’s bit scabious and globeflower can be seen and skylark call over the reserve.

The autumn months offer the potential to see painted lady butterfly and common carder bee and in winter snipe use the rushes as cover and meadow pipit can be seen.

Seasonal highlights

  • Spring: Plants - Fragrant orchid; Wood cranesbill; Birds - Curlew; Cuckoo
  • Summer: Plants - Greater butterfly orchid; Devils-bit scabious; Globeflower, Heath Spotted Orchid; Birds - Skylark, Barn Owl, Stonechat, Willow Warbler
  • Autumn: Invertebrates - Painted lady; Common carder bee; Birds - Flocks of finches & thrushes
  • Winter: Birds - Meadow Pipit, Barn owl, Kestrel

Directions

Public transport
The nearest train station is Ribblehead, from where it is a 1.5 mile walk along the road to the reserve.

By car
Off the B6479 I mile south of the B6255 junction (Ribblehead)
 

A beautiful pink sunrise over Ashes Pasture.

Ashes Pasture - (C) John Potter

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