Our Rocky Landcapes

Apr 24, 2020 | Park News

Many of our holiday home owners enjoy the walk from us here at Warren Forest to the stunning Brimham Rocks. The spectacular rock outcrops which for the park landscape, are an over spill from this particular National Trust site.

There is lots of information on the internet regarding Brimham Rocks, we have collated some of the most fascinating facts for your enjoyment, alongside some beautiful photographs of the rocks found here on the park.

“Brimham Rocks is an amazing collection of weird and wonderful rock formations, sculpted over centuries by ice, wind and rain. It makes a great day out for families, climbers, walkers and those wanting to enjoy the simple pleasures of fresh air and magnificent views. The strangely shaped rock formations tower over heather moorland, offering panoramic views across Nidderdale and to the Vale of York.

…..explore the labyrinth of paths through this unique landscape. The surrounding moorland abounds with wildlife and there are picnic spots aplenty. In summer the heather flowers turn the moorland purple, attracting bees and butterflies. This intriguing landscape is like no other you will have seen.

Brimham Rocks is one of just over 4,000 sites nation-wide which have been awarded the status Site of Special Scientific Interest’ (SSSI). Attributed by Natural England, this status is used in order to protect the natural, environmental or geological heritage of the British Isles from development, pollution or insensitive land management.

Being given this status is certainly a form of recognition of the uniqueness of the site, but also places a great deal of responsibility on the shoulders of the conservation staff who work here.
On a world scale, natural heather habitats are extremely rare: rarer than rainforest. According to the Moorland Association, 75% of the world’s remaining heather moorland is found in Britain and that habitat has been declining rapidly.
Brimham moor has the particular distinction of being home to three local varieties: ling heather, bell heather, and cross-leaved heath. With its rapid growth and extended root system, if left unattended, bracken would soon damage the heather moorland beyond repair.
The countryside team of staff and volunteers perform regular trials of different bracken control techniques. A recent Higher Level Stewardship grant has made all the difference to the team’s ultimate success or failure in bracken control, as it has made possible the purchase of the necessary equipment. A selective herbicide is used, which only harms bracken and dock. It thoroughly eradicates bracken at its root, resulting in seven to eight years of managed countryside This makes it more difficult for the weed to re-establish a presence on the site and giving subsequent ‘natural’ methods of control, such as flailing and manual pulling, a much higher chance of success…..”
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