Wildlife Sites

Some Sites for Observing Wildlife in the Upper Eden Area

The whole area is good for wildlife. You might see buzzards , great spotted woodpecker, nut hatch etc at any point. Upper Eden is one of the remaining sites in England where you have a good chance of seeing red squirrel and you never know what you might come across if you keep your eyes open.

The town of Kirkby Stephen itself is good for swifts in the summer and the area near the river in the town is good for bats.

The following is a list of some of the better spots for more reliable sightings. All of these sites can be accessed within a 20 min drive from Kirkby Stephen.

Tarn Sike

NY 665 076

West of Sunbiggin Tarn on the Orton to Little Asby road – park near the cattle grid

A Cumbria Wildlife Trust Reserve.

Usually a good spot for Starling murmurations between December and March.

A site of special scientific interest for its bogland flora (including the very rare Hair Sedge flowering in late June)

A good spot for snipe and lapwing.

Roe deer family is often seen there.

The sike itself is a refuge for the endangered white clawed crayfish.

The Cumbria Wildlife “Nature Reserve Guide” is on sale at the Visitors Centre in Kirkby Stephen and gives full details of all CWT reserves

River Eden

There are a few areas where public footpaths keep to the river.

Eg Between Warcop and Appleby.

Between Warcop and Great Musgrave.

Upstream of Kirkby Stephen towards Mallerstang.

Otherwise the river can be observed at road bridges.

Salmon , trout, lamprey, white clawed crayfish, otter and a rich variety of birds from kingfisher to merganser.

In October it is sometimes possible to watch salmon jumping at Stenkrith (NY 772 075)

The road bridge at Trainriggs (NY 772 105) can sometimes be used to watch salmon spawning. (late Sept early Oct)

All along the river you might see dippers, wagtails, kingfisher, heron, common sandpipers etc.

Jubilee Park

(outskirts of Kirkby Stephen NY 770 075)

Take the A685 South out of Kirkby Stephen parking on the left after the railway bridge.

Near the award winning summer house is a small grassy area with lots of orchids and a walk round the perimeter of the pond shows lots of summer flowers. There are a good selection of unusual sedges for the discerning botanist. Under the beech trees is the rare birds nest orchid. It is difficult to find and it is in a different place each year, so a good challenge to find. Lots of birds.

The field adjacent to the Park on the Southern edge also belongs to the Town Council and is often very good for wildflowers.

A Botanical survey of the park was commissioned recently and a copy of this might be inspected at the Kirkby Stephen Local Links

Waitby Greenriggs Nature Reserve.

NY 757 086

Take the Road to Waitby out of Kirkby Stephen and park on the right past the second of the old railway bridges.

A Cumbria Wildlife Trust Reserve

One of the best places in the country for wild orchids. (End of May onwards – best at end of June)

The Cumbria Wildlife “Nature Reserve Guide” is on sale at the Visitors Centre in Kirkby Stephen and gives full details of all CWT reserves.

Argill Woods Reserve

(Near Brough)

NY 839 139

A Cumbria Wildlife Trust Reserve

Good flora – splendid bluebells and a wide variety of wild orchids.

The Cumbria Wildlife “Nature Reserve Guide” is on sale at the Visitors Centre in Kirkby Stephen and gives full details of all CWT reserves

Ewbank Scar

(Near Kirkby Stephen)

NY 785 075

Spectacular scenery and good flora (especially bluebells)

NB steep and sometimes slippery underfoot.

Flakebridge Woods

(Near Appleby)

NY 700 225

The best spot in the area for bluebells.(middle of May)

Access by public footpaths from Dufton, Brampton or Murton

Smardale Nature Reserve

Between Waitby Greenriggs - Smardale and Newbiggin on Lune

Access at Waitby Greenriggs NY 757 086

At Smardale NY 744 084

At Newbiggin on Lune NY 703 055

A Cumbria Wildlife Trust Reserve

An extended section of disused railway line. Splendid displays of primrose in the spring. Red squirrels and occasional roe deer. Scotch Argus and Northern Brown Argus butterflies in the summer. Interesting geology too.

The Cumbria Wildlife “Nature Reserve Guide” is on sale at the Tourist Visitors Centre in Kirkby Stephen and gives full details of all CWT reserves

On The Swaledale Road

Between Nateby and Muker.

If you are prepared to get up before dawn in the spring you might be lucky enough to see a Black Cock lek from the road near the high point at Tailbridge. Approximatel GR NY 802 048

And a little further into Swaledale at around NY 829 032 (off a track to the left about 0.6k beyond Black Scar House

Leks are most common in the first hour of daylight early in the year reaching a peak in April.

Stenkrith Park.

An abandoned tree lined railway line between Stenkrith and Hartley crossing over a couple of impressive viaducts.

This can be accessed either from the Kirkby Stephen to Nateby road at the car park at Stenkrith NY 772 074 or from the Hartley end at NY 784 084

The river at the Stenkrith end is good for aquatic birds, heron, dipper, kingfisher. In the autumn you may be lucky enough to see salmon attempting to jump the falls at Millenium Bridge. The area often has red squirrel and is a good spot for spring flowers. It is easy to link this area as a walk to the network of local paths (eg the Poetry Path) and you can get booklets on this at the visitor centre in Kirkby Stephen.

The Viaducts are managed ny the Northern Viaducts trust see

www.nvt.org.uk

Wildlife Meadows

There are a number of very special wildflower meadows in the area. Most of these are on private property but it may be possible to arrange to visit on by appointment. Contact dick.arrowsmith@gmail.com for further details.

Otherwise ..

The meadows near Pipers Hole to the South of Ravenstonedale are crossed by a public footpath the goes between and Townhead lane and Artlegarth and are always worth a visit.

The field to the South of Jubliee Park (see above) belongs to the Town Council and is often good for wild flowers.

There are some excellent meadows in the Soulby area accessed by Far Leases Lane and you can phone David and Tina Galloway on 017683 71198 to arrange a visit.

The John Strutt Reserve

John Strutt was a local resident who was keen on wildlife and set up some wildlife reserves across the county. This one is an abandoned railway line that runs from the Southern end of Hartley (NY 784 084) and runs in a NE direction towards the road near Rookby Scarth on the outskirts of Winton(NY 798 102)

Interesting wildflowers and a deep cutting that geologists would like.

John Strutt was responsible for the fact that you may see some parrots flying free about the area!

The Mountain Environment

There is easy access to both the Howgills and the North Pennines and there is the sort of mountain flora and fauna you might expect. Nine Standards Rigg has good examples of peat bog and its associated flora. The mountains have their own collection of bird life depending on the season. There are good raptor sightings to be had, and in the summer golden plover and ring ouzel can be seen. The area is one of the last English refuges of the Black Grouse.

There is easy access to some limestone pavements from Tailbridge at the high point on the Nateby to Swaledale road and this is also a nesting area for golden plover and lapwing and if you are lucky black grouse and short eared owl.

There are more limestone pavements below the summit of Wild Boar fell in the Mallerstang valley.

The slopes in the Mallerstang valley are the site of recent very extensive tree planting programmes as part of a re forestation scheme. The Mallerstang area is good for waders and birds such as wheatear might be seen from the road.

Mallerstand Edge (the ridge to the East of the valley is noted for being a breeding ground for golden plover.

The Brough to Middleton in Teesdale road (B6276) is a good place to spot short eared owl and merlin.

Skennerskeugh and Fell End Clouds

This is an area of interesting limestone pavements and associated flora at NY 742 002 off the A683 road between Kirkby Stephen and Sedburgh. Access is by the minor road that loops off towards Fell End.

An excellent guide to the geology of the area was written by the late Helga Frankland and copies of this may be had from the visitors Centre in Kirkby Stephen for a modest fee.

Cautley Spout (off the Sedburgh to Kirkby Stephen Road the A683) Park near the Cross Keys Pub (that doesn't serve beer!)

England's highest cascading waterfall.

An area rich in wildflowers and a good place to spot ring ouzel.

The area of woodland (Murthwaite Park) a couple of km NE of this spot is good for pied flycatcher in the spring.