Top wildlife walks

Upper Wharfedale, North Yorkshire

The beautiful, undulating landscape of the Yorkshire Dales contains limestone pavement, glaciated valleys and flower-rich hay meadows, interwoven with hillside streams and dry stone walls which combine to create a fertile habitat for wildlife.

The roadsides bloom throughout the year with wildflowers such as sweet cicely, blue meadow crane’s bill, melancholy thistles, yellow rattle and the carnivorous common butterwort. The hay meadows are also filled with wild flowers and are particularly spectacular in late spring and summer.

Wading birds such as curlew and lapwing are seen in good numbers in spring and ducks, goosanders, kingfishers and grey wagtails live on the rivers and streams. Dippers perch on boulders in fast flowing streams and plunge into the water as they prey on aquatic invertebrates. The good quality of the water is indicated by the presence of crayfish, brown trout, eel and grayling.

Click here for details of this National Trust walk

Photo: The embryonic Wharfe, in Upper Wharfedale, near Yockenthwaite. © NTPL/John Darley

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