Freeholder's Wood Local Nature Reserve. Image by Roger Henson.
Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority
Location:
Aysgarth, Wensleydale
Map:
Ordnance Survey Explorer Map OL30 - Yorkshire Dales, Northern & Central areas
Description:
Freeholders' Wood Local Nature Reserve (LNR) is owned and managed by the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority and is a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). It consists of ancient semi-natural woodland, which means it has had tree cover since at least the year 1600 and many species of plants have colonised the site during this time. The name of the wood refers to the freeholders of the local village of Carperby. These are people who have had the right (called ‘estovers’) to collect fallen wood here for centuries. Whenever we coppice the hazel as part of the woodland management the freeholders still have the right to come in and collect this wood.
This site is one of the best places to see hazel coppice woodland in the National Park and its associated ground flora in flower in the spring months. Where the hazel hasn't been coppiced for some time the ground flora tends to be dominated by plants such as dog's mercury and wood anemone. However, in areas that have been coppiced in recent years, a richer ground flora including wood avens, lady's mantle and wild strawberry can be seen as well as bluebells, dog-violets and herb-Paris. In addition, you may see or hear the birdsong of the nuthatch, chaffinch, treecreeper, blackcap, chiffchaff, goldcrest, bullfinch, greenfinch, tits, song thrush, blackbird and warblers.
In a very quiet moment you may see the mammals roe deer, woodmice, shrews or even red squirrels, which have been recorded just once on the site so far. (However, one of the best place to see red squirrels in the Yorkshire Dales National Park is Snaizeholme).The rotation coppice system of woodland management is vital on this site in order to maintain and enhance the biodiversity present.
Access and facilities:
Freeholders' Wood and the adjacent Aysgarth Falls are best accessed along the falls trail and other public rights of way shown on the Ordnance Survey map mentioned above. There are interpretation panels in place on the woodland trail. The Aysgarth Falls National Park Centre is adjacent to the nature reserve and has ample car parking, a shop, café and toilets.
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