Newbiggin Pastures Nature Reserve
Location
Know before you go
Dogs
When to visit
Opening times
Open at all times. We recommend a half day trip for this reserve.Best time to visit
March to SeptemberAbout the reserve
Newbiggin Pastures is managed as a patchwork of flower-rich traditional hay meadows, developing open woodland, and upland grassland. In time, we hope the six hectares of sparse juniper woodland that volunteers helped us plant will attract black grouse – it’s a part of their favoured habitat. Watch and listen for lapwings, curlews and wheatears in spring, spotted flycatchers in summer, ravens in autumn and barn owls in winter. Visit in summer to admire the wildflowers, including lady's mantle, eyebright, yellow rattle and agrimony.
Contact us
About
Newbiggin Pastures is located in Bishopdale and is a mosaic of habitats including flower rich meadows and upland grassland of the high moors. Stretching from the valley bottom up to the edge of Wassett Fell, you will enjoy spectacular views.
A work in progress, the Trust manages part of the site as a traditional hay meadow with grazing by sheep in the autumn and a hay cut following the seeding of the wildflowers. The rough grassland at the upper end of the site is managed to provide a variety of habitats suitable for upland bird species and volunteers have helped us plant six hectares of woodland including areas of sparse juniper - the preferred habitat of black grouse.
In spring the call of lapwing, curlew and wheatear remind you of the changing seasons. In summer the meadows are rich in flowers including lady's mantle, moschatal, corncockle and agrimony. In autumn the call of the raven can be heard over the site and in winter the juniper comes into its own.
The working agricultural landscape of the Yorkshire Dales can be appreciated from Newbiggin Pastures. The lower fields of the dale are small and enclosed by dry stone walls: these are the traditional hay meadows that would be cut for hay in the summer. Many of these fields have stone barns in which the hay would be stored and cattle housed over the winter. Further up the slope the fields are larger and managed as rough grazing pasture. Higher still and the landscape changes to open moorland managed by light grazing often under commoners rights.
Newbiggins Pastures is grazed by a local tenant, so we ask that you do not disturb the livestock.
Seasonal highlights
- Spring: Birds - Lapwing; Curlew; Wheatear
- Summer: Plants - Lady's matle; Moschatel; Corncockle; Agrimony
- Autumn: Birds - Raven
- Winter: Plants - Juniper
Directions
Public transport
The nearest village with a bus service is Worton, a 20-25 minute walk away. The nearest train station is at Garsdale which is 10¼ miles away.
By car
Turn off the A684 Leyburn to Hawes road onto the B6160/Ellers Lane. Continue on this road for 3¾ miles past West Burton and the Street Head Inn and caravan site. The nature reserve is on your left half a mile after passing the pub. Limited roadside parking. Enter the nature reserve through the field gate.