Ingleborough National Nature Reserve

Ingleborough National Nature Reserve (NNR) is part of the larger Ingleborough Site of Scientific Interest (SSSI). It is one of the famous Three Peaks of the Yorkshire Dales National Park, renowned for its spectacular scenery and special wildlife. The NNR supports rare limestone pavement, species rich meadow pastures, peatland, and ancient woodland.

The NNR is most associated with its diverse plant life, but also supports a range of birds, butterflies, moths, mammals, amphibians and reptiles. This is, in part, due to its varied geology helping to support rare plants including Yorkshire primrose and hare’s tail cottongrass.

There is a long history of people using the landscape – people have lived and farmed this area for thousands of years. The reserve supports abandoned settlements, old limekilns and drystone walls. The site is open to public access, providing recreational opportunities for visitors to connect with its unique and diverse habitats and biodiversity.

KICK-STARTING REWILDING

A reduction in sheep grazing was undertaken on the site to restore a varied vegetation structure. Low numbers of cattle occasionally graze limestone pavement to protect this priority habitat. Natural regeneration has been encouraged across the NNR, with supplementary native tree planting where needed. Peat bog restoration has also been undertaken on the site to retain water and maintain wet boggy habitats.

A range of herbaceous plants and shrubs have already been reintroduced into remnant ancient ash woodland to restore vegetation structure and encourage more diverse woodland to regenerate on the site. This will act as a seed source for naturally regenerating woodlands on the site.

Images: Inglesborough NNR & Colin Newlands