Grassington National Park Centre was already busy on this Saturday morning as we gathered together, noticeably with groups on last minute preparations before setting out on their D of E walks. Our Meadows Day Walk was a far more gentle challenge! The route that we followed is accessible by following this link.
Within a very short time we were enjoying the view of the River Wharfe as it flows over Linton Falls and the Weir. Our plant list grew rapidly as we followed the path beside the R. Wharfe and then up through fields. The real highlight of this route came as we entered the Grassington Park Estate Meadow, thought to be ‘one of the finest examples of herb-rich meadows in the Dales’. In front of us was a dense sward of wild flowers and grasses, topped by a multitude of the deep blue flowers of Devil’s Bit Scabious.
Now there is no sign of the buildings that were here through the 20th C. In 1919 a large area of old hay meadows was sold to the Bradford Health Authority as land for Grassington Hospital. This was built and first used as a TB Sanatorium, then, from 1966 – 1984, it was used as a Psycho Geriatric hospital. The old meadows will have been used as a source of enjoyment for those patients. The ground has never had modern fertilisers added. The buildings were demolished in 1996. The ancient meadows were taken under the care of English Nature, together with local residents, Natural England and the Yorkshire Dales Millennium Trust, and have been protected ever since.
Walking slowly along the flagged footpath that crosses this superb meadow gave us each a memorable experience with a wide sea of flowering species on either side. Our plant list grew rapidly, with highlights such as Melancholy Thistle, Cirsium heterophyllum, Great Burnet, Sanguisorba officinalis, a big population of Ox-eye Daisy, Leucanthemum vulgare, just a few plants of Common Restharrow, Ononis repens.
The plant list is attached. The morning drizzle did at times turn to showers so there are no photos to do justice to this very special location.
Kerry Morrison