Wildlife
Ellerburn Bank nature reserve
A small patch of limestone grassland above Ellerburn, three hectares of it, protected as a Site of Special Scientific Interest and looked after by the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust. It is a quiet, steep, flowery place, and there are two practical things to know before you go: the adders, and the sheep.
At a glance
- Size
- 3 hectares
- Status
- Site of Special Scientific Interest
- Habitat
- Limestone grassland on thin, free-draining soils
- Open
- March to September, at its best on sunny days in June and July
- Getting there
- Haygate car park on the Dalby Forest Drive (charge applies), then 750 metres (half a mile) south on the footpath
- Terrain
- Sloping but fairly even, with a narrow gateway and steep entry
- Dogs
- No dogs permitted
Every fact on this page comes from Yorkshire Wildlife Trust's Ellerburn Bank reserve page. Check with the Trust before you travel.
Two things to know first
There are adders
Adders are present at the reserve. On a warm, sunny day, which is exactly when the place is at its best, they may be out. Keep to the path and watch where you put your feet. No dogs are permitted here, which removes one risk.
Yorkshire Wildlife Trust, Ellerburn Bank reserve page.
It is a working grazed site in autumn
Hebridean sheep graze the land from September to December. That grazing is what keeps the limestone grassland open and flowering, so it is not an inconvenience, it is the management. If you come in autumn, expect livestock on the ground.
Yorkshire Wildlife Trust, Ellerburn Bank reserve page.
The habitat
Ellerburn Bank is 3 hectares of limestone grassland on thin, free-draining soils, and a Site of Special Scientific Interest. The Yorkshire Wildlife Trust describes it as an excellent example of that habitat. Thin soil over limestone is poor ground for vigorous grasses, which is precisely why the flowers do so well.
Management is hands-on: Hebridean sheep graze from September to December, scrub is controlled mechanically, and the drystone walls are maintained.
Yorkshire Wildlife Trust, Ellerburn Bank reserve page.
What lives there
Flowers
Orchid, rock-rose, cowslip and quaking grass.
Butterflies and moths
Small copper and small skipper butterflies, and the six-spot burnet moth.
Birds
Willow warblers, yellowhammers, goshawks, buzzards, bullfinches, crossbills and willow tits.
Other animals
Adders, stoats, rabbits, foxes, badgers and roe deer.
Species lists are taken as given from Yorkshire Wildlife Trust's Ellerburn Bank reserve page, with nothing added.
Getting there and when to go
Park at Haygate car park on the Dalby Forest Drive, where a charge applies, then walk 750 metres, half a mile, south on the footpath. The reserve is sloping but fairly even, with a narrow gateway and a steep entry, which is the part to consider if anyone in the party is unsteady on their feet.
It is open March to September, and at its best on sunny days in June and July. Remember that no dogs are permitted.
Yorkshire Wildlife Trust, Ellerburn Bank reserve page.
Photographs
There are no photographs on this page yet, deliberately. They will be added in the summer when the flowers and butterflies are out.
Ellerburn on this site
The Ellerburn circular walk
The village walk that takes in Ellerburn, with route notes and terrain. See the Ellerburn circular walk.
St Hilda's, Ellerburn
The Saxon church in the hamlet below the bank, and its protected bat colony. See St Hilda's, Ellerburn.
All the village walks
Seven circular routes from the Maltongate car park. See the walks page.
Common questions
What is Ellerburn Bank nature reserve?
A 3-hectare Yorkshire Wildlife Trust reserve and a Site of Special Scientific Interest near Thornton-le-Dale. It is limestone grassland on thin, free-draining soils, and the Trust describes it as an excellent example of that habitat.
How do you get to Ellerburn Bank?
Park at Haygate car park on the Dalby Forest Drive, where a charge applies, then walk 750 metres, about half a mile, south on the footpath. The ground is sloping but fairly even, with a narrow gateway and a steep entry.
Are there adders at Ellerburn Bank?
Yes. Adders are among the animals present at the reserve, along with stoats, rabbits, foxes, badgers and roe deer. Keep to the path and watch where you step, particularly on warm, sunny days.
When is the best time to visit Ellerburn Bank?
The reserve is open March to September and is at its best on sunny days in June and July, when the flowers and butterflies are out. Hebridean sheep graze the land from September to December, so in autumn it is a working grazed site.
Can you take a dog to Ellerburn Bank?
No. No dogs are permitted at the reserve.