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WHITE YOUNG GREEN ENVIRONMENTAL

NORTH MOORS NATIONAL PARK

LANDSCAPE CHARACTER ASSESSMENT

CONTENTS

Page No 1.0 INTRODUCTION 1 1.1 Background to the Report 1 1.2 The National Park 1 1.3 Context and Scope of the Study 1 1.4 The Study Area 2 1.5 Relationship to Previous Studies 2 1.6 Relationship to Studies Undertaken within Areas Bounding the National Park 5 1.7 Methodology 6 1.8 Structure of the Report 7 1.9 The Next Steps 7 2.0 THE NORTH YORK MOORS NATIONAL PARK 8 2.1 Key Characteristics 8 2.2 Landscape Character 8 2.3 Physical Influences 9 2.4 Historical and Cultural Influences 10 2.5 Buildings and Settlement 11 2.6 Land Cover 11 3.0 CHANGE IN THE LANDSCAPE 13 3.1 Introduction 13 3.2 Agriculture 13 3.3 Upland Management 15 3.4 Biodiversity Aims 15 3.5 Trees, Woodland and Commercial Forestry 16 3.6 Recreation and 17 3.7 Settlement Change and Expansion 18 3.8 Communications, Power Generation and Distribution, Military Infrastructure 18 3.9 Roads and Traffic 19 3.10 Mining and Quarries 20 3.11 External Influences 20 3.12 Air Pollution and Climate Change 20 3.13 Geological and Archaeological Resource 20 4.0 LANDSCAPE CHARACTER TYPES AND AREAS 22

Moorland 23 (1a) Western Moors 26 (1b) Central & Eastern Moors 27 (1c) Northern Moors 29 Narrow Dale 34 (2a) 37 (2b) 38 (2c) 39 (2d) 40 (2e) Rosedale 41 (2f) Hartoft 42 (2g) Baysdale 42 (2h) 43 (2i) Danby Dale 43

North York Moors North York Moors National Park Landscape Character Assessment December 2003 WHITE YOUNG GREEN ENVIRONMENTAL

(2j) Fryup Dale 44 (2k) 45 Forest 57 (3a) Cropton 59 (3b) Langdale//Newton House 60 (3c) Dalby 61 (3d) Wykeham 61 Coast and Coastal Hinterland 67 (4a) - 70 (4b) Whitby – Cloughton 72 Limestone Hills 76 (5a) Southern Hambleton / 79 (5b) Tabular Hills 80 (5c) Southern Dales and Southern Moor Foot 81 Narrow Glacial Channel and Griffs 86 (6a) Newtondale and Hole of Horcum 89 (6b) Forge Valley 90 Limestone Dale 93

(7a) 96 (7b) Upper Harwood Dale 97 Central Valley 100 (8a) Commondale-Upper Eskdale 103 (8b) Lower Esk Valley 104 Upland Fringe 108 (9a) Cleveland Foothills 111 (9b) Western Fringe 112

BIBLIOGRAPHY

FIGURES

Figure 1 Landscape Types and Character Areas within the North York Moors National Park

North York Moors National Park Authority North York Moors National Park Landscape Character Assessment December 2003 WHITE YOUNG GREEN ENVIRONMENTAL

Acknowledgements

This report has been prepared with help and input from many of the staff of the North York Moors National Park Authority. In particular we would like to thank Peter Barfoot, Rachel Smith, Rona Charles, Richard Gunton, Val Dilcock, David Walker, Paul Harris, Graham Lee, Sandra Kennish and Nick Staley.

We would also like to thank the following people who have assisted by providing information in support of this study: Nick Ritchens and Stuart Pasley from the Countryside Agency; David Williams, Scarborough Borough Council, Tammy Adams Council, John Beech, Coastal Projects, North and Cleveland.

White Young Green 2003

North York Moors National Park Authority North York Moors National Park Landscape Character Assessment December 2003 WHITE YOUNG GREEN ENVIRONMENTAL 1.0 INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background to the Report

In May 2003, White Young Green Environmental Ltd (WYGE) were appointed by the North York Moors National Park Authority (NYMNPA) to undertake a landscape character assessment of the National Park in a form that could be presented as a short report and would form part of the authority’s Geographic Information System.

1.2 The North York Moors National Park

The North York Moors National Park was designated in 1952 and covers an area of 1436 square kilometers. It comprises an isolated upland area about 60km across from east to west and 35km from north to south whose distinctive character lies in the open expanse of its moors (which cover 35% of the National Park and represent the largest area of heather moorland in the country), together with areas of farmland, deciduous woodland, conifer forests and an impressive stretch of rocky coastline. The Park is bounded by the to the east, the Cleveland Basin to the north and the Vales of Mowbray and Pickering to the west and south.

The distinctive character of the North York Moors relates closely to its underlying geology, which has created a landscape that is visibly different from e.g. the or the . The upland areas of the moors are separated by narrow dales, which form the heartland of the area; to the west and north are steep scarps 300m high, which afford views over surrounding areas; to the east dramatic coastal scenery including the highest cliffs in at Boulby (203m); and to the south the hills slope gently to the . Successive generations of hunters, herdsmen, farmers, monks and miners have left their mark, contributing to the distinct local variations in landscape character. The Park has a population of 25,560 people and receives 7.9 million day visits people every year.

The Park is administered by the North York Moors National Park Authority for the purposes of conserving and enhancing its natural beauty, wildlife and cultural heritage and to promote opportunities for the understanding and enjoyment of the special qualities of the Park by the public. The Authority also has a duty to seek to foster the economic and social well being of the local communities within the Park area in pursuing its primary purposes. The Authority is the statutory planning authority for development control and other planning policy matters.

The coastal areas of the National Park were designated as part of the and Cleveland in 1974 by the Countryside Commission. The purpose of this designation was to identify it for protection purposes and to focus attention on the management needs of the coast and issues affecting the coast.

The special qualities of the North York Moors result from a combination of the visual qualities of the landscape, the qualities of the natural environment in particular its plants and wildlife, and the cultural heritage of the Park giving the added dimension of a sense of time, depth and history, together with the more intangible qualities appreciated by residents and visitors such as tranquility, solitude, wildness, open space, inspiration and the escape the Park offers from urban living.

This landscape assessment in combination with the Biodiversity Action Plan for the Park and a forthcoming historic character assessment of the Park will assist the greater understanding and appreciation of the special qualities of the National Park and guide future decision making, policy and management.

1.3 Context and Scope of the Study

Landscape character assessment is an objective, value-free assessment of landscape concerned with character rather than quality or value, although following the process of characterisation judgements may be made about particular landscapes and values may be assigned to them to inform particular decisions.

Landscape character is defined as a distinct and recognisable pattern of elements that occur

North York Moors National Park Authority North York Moors National Park Landscape Character Assessment December 2003 WHITE YOUNG GREEN ENVIRONMENTAL consistently in a particular type of landscape. Patterns of geology, landform, soils and vegetation, land use, field patterns and human settlement combine together to create character. At the broad scale character makes each part of Britain distinctive and gives each its sense of place; at the local scale there may be distinct character differences between different areas of a single valley or dale.

The objectives of the National Park Authority in relation to the landscape of the National Park, as set out in the National Park Management Plan1998, are as follows:

• To maintain and enhance the scenic character of the North York Moors;

• To ensure that changes to the appearance of the North York Moors respect the views of residents and users;

• To safeguard the “spirit of the place” of the North York Moors and be aware of the intangible elements that make up feelings for a place:- wildness, tranquillity, space, freedom, security, intimacy, season, atmosphere, memories, experiences, light, colour, sound, time of day and night;

• To maintain and enhance the special landscape characteristics of distinct areas within the North York Moors.

The purpose of this landscape character assessment, as identified by the National Park Authority, is to provide an assessment that identifies landscape types and areas, their characteristics and attributes and potentially damaging and beneficial measures. The information will be used to inform the National Park Management Plan policies, conservation and grant aid scheme development and planning policy implementation. It may also be used in public consultation as part of the National Park Management Plan process.

This landscape character assessment has the following objectives:

• to classify the landscape into distinct landscape character types and areas, identifying their key characteristics and the way these interact to produce character, summarIsed in a series of bullet points;

• to summarise potentially damaging and beneficial pressures on the landscape in a clear succinct form;

• to be presented as both a report and map and as part of the authorities Geographic Information System; and

• to co-ordinate the assessment with other landscape character assessments that have been undertaken on Park boundary areas.

Due to the short length of the project period and resource limitations, the project brief did not allow for stakeholder participation in the characterisation process, although officers of the National Park Authority have been fully involved throughout the process.

1.4 The Study Area

The study area extends to the boundaries of the National Park, shown on Figure 1. The majority of the Park falls within the County of North Yorkshire (Hambleton and Ryedale Districts and Scarborough Borough). A small part of the Park (in the north) falls within and Cleveland unitary authority.

The boundaries of the National Park coincide with the eastern edge of the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) in the south west. The coastal areas of the National Park form part of the North Yorkshire and Cleveland Heritage Coast.

1.5 Relationship to Previous Studies

North York Moors National Park Authority North York Moors National Park Landscape Character Assessment December 2003 WHITE YOUNG GREEN ENVIRONMENTAL This assessment has been undertaken against the background of a number of previous landscape assessment studies:

a) The North York Moors National Park Management Plan 1998, which divided the National Park into a number of draft landscape character types and areas as follows:

Table 1: North York Moors National Park Management Plan 1998 Draft Landscape Character Types and Areas

Moorlands (1a) / Western Moors (1b) Central & Eastern Moors (1c) / North of Esk Valley

Central Dales (2a) Bilsdale/ Snilesworth (2b) Bransdale (2c) Farndale (2d) Rosedale/ Hartoft (2e) Westerdale (2f) Danby Dale (2g) Fryup (2h) Glaisdale

Forests (3a) Cropton (3b) Dalby/ Wykeham

Coastal Area (4a) Boulby - Whitby (4b) Whitby – Cloughton

Southern Hambleton/Tabular Hills (5a) - Cropton Area (5b) Pickering - Area

Forge Valley/Harwood Dale Area (6) Forge Valley - Harwood Dale Area

Esk Valley (7) Esk Valley

Western Fringe (8a) Northern Area (8b) Southern Area

The zones were defined on a schematic map within the National Park Management Plan document although were not accompanied by any descriptive text. The zones were based on detailed local knowledge but which did not arise out of a formal assessment process using Countryside Agency guidelines.

It was the National Park Authority’s intention that the work would develop and build upon these draft types and areas. The National Park Authority accepted that the present study would result in refinement of this earlier study but it was not the authority’s intention that the work would result in a significant increase in or subdivision of areas.

The consultants have found the draft types and areas to be soundly based and have refined and developed upon them in identifying the landscape character types and areas within the present study.

North York Moors National Park Authority North York Moors National Park Landscape Character Assessment December 2003 WHITE YOUNG GREEN ENVIRONMENTAL b) The Countryside Commission’s Countryside Character Initiative Volume 3: . The Countryside Character Initiative documents define and describe the 159 regional landscape character areas of , of which one, Character Area 25: North York Moors and Cleveland Hills closely coincides with the boundaries of the North York Moors National Park to the west and east (although excluding the area in the immediate vicinity of Whitby) but which extends beyond the National Park boundary in the north as far as the A174 (which extends west from Saltburn-by-the-Sea) and in the south as far as the A170. The National Park boundary also encompasses a very small area of Character Area 29: Howardian Hills, in a triangular area extending west and north from . The information provided within Volume 3 has provided useful background for the present study and has formed the basis for the overall description of the Landscape of the National Park in Section 2.

c) The Countryside Agency’s Level 1 Typology of Landscape Character for England 2002, which subdivides the regional character areas into a series of Landscape Description Units (LDU’s), based on the determinants of physiography, ground type, landcover and cultural patterns. The LDU’s are intended to provide a structured framework that can be used as a basis for defining landscape character types. Within the North York Moors National Park the following LDU’s have been identified:

Table 2: Countryside Agency’s Level 1 Typology Landscape Description Units within the North York Moors National Park

HDO (high hills, heath and moorland, unsettled/open land) UDW (low hills, heath and moorland, wetland/waste unwooded) VCA (upland vales and valleys, clayland, wooded – ancient woods) RCA (intermediate physiography, clayland, wooded – ancient woods) UCA (low hills, clayland, wooded – ancient woods) UDS (low hills, heath and moorland, wooded – secondary) ULA (low hills, chalk and limestone, wooded - ancient woods) LCD (lowlands, clayland, dispersed unwooded) LCN (lowlands, clayland, nucleated unwooded)

The present study has utilised the LDU’s as a broad basis for the identification of landscape types although the LDU boundaries have been further refined by the consultants through fieldwork in arriving at the identification of landscape type boundaries.

d) The North Yorkshire Moors Upland Land Management Initiative Integrated Characterisation and Environmental Capital Assessment, April 2000 (prepared for the Countryside Agency by Land Use Consultants with Blaise Vyner, Archaeology). This study was undertaken in a pilot area of the National Park (encompassing the parishes of Danby, Commondale and Westerdale within the Upper Esk valley) to assist with the identification of integrated local management objectives.

The present study has drawn on the findings of this earlier study in undertaking the landscape character assessment of this part of the National Park.

e) Farndale Landscape Assessment, January 1995 (prepared for the NYMNPA by The Landscape Practice). This study was commissioned as a benchmark against which changes to the landscape resulting from the National Park Farm Scheme would be assessed.

The present study has reviewed the findings of this earlier study in undertaking the landscape character assessment of this part of the National Park.

f) George F Peterken’s report ‘Native Woodland Development in the North York Moors and Howardian Hills’ identifies a number of landscape zones within which the woodland characteristics are assessed and measures proposed for the restoration of woodland habitats. This study has provided useful background information to inform the present study. g) Landscape Assessment of Hambleton District (prepared for the Hambleton District Council by Woolerton Truscott). This study included the parts of the district that fall within the National Park, although the character types are subdivided into quite small units. The following landscape types fall within the National Park boundary:

North York Moors National Park Authority North York Moors National Park Landscape Character Assessment December 2003 WHITE YOUNG GREEN ENVIRONMENTAL

1a Upland Plateau - forested 1b Upland Plateau – semi-natural heather moorland 2a Escarpment - wooded 2b Escarpment - open 3 Isolated minor landform 4a Intensive farmed lowland (varied topography) - enclosed 4b Intensive farmed lowland (varied topography) – intermediate enclosure 4c Intensive farmed lowland (varied topography) - open 5a Intensive farmed lowland (simple topography) - enclosed 5b Intensive farmed lowland (simple topography) – intermediate enclosure 6b Linear River Landscapes – minor river valleys 6c Linear River Landscapes – broad upland ‘dale’ 7b Estate Landscape (including parkland) – of general interest

This study has provided useful background information to inform the present study.

h) A number of small scale landscape assessments have been carried out at key areas along the Heritage Coast, the need for which was identified within the North Yorkshire and Cleveland Heritage Coast Strategy 1995. The purpose of the assessments was to achieve landscape enhancements to further National Heritage Coast targets. Assessments have been carried out between Runswick Bay and , between Kettleness and Goldsborough and between Cloughton Wike (within the National Park) and Scalby Ness (beyond the boundary).

These studies have provided useful background information to inform the present study within the relatively small areas covered.

1.6 Relationship to Studies Undertaken within Areas Bounding the National Park

Hambleton and Ryedale Districts and Scarborough Borough have each undertaken landscape character assessments for the areas that fall outside the National Park boundary. Redcar and Cleveland will be undertaking an assessment over the next 1-2 years. The assessments for Ryedale, Hambleton and Scarborough where taken into account as part of the present identification of character types and areas within the Park to ensure continuity across the Park boundary. The landscape types that have been identified on the Park boundary areas as part of these studies are summarised in Table 3 below. None of these studies identified landscape character areas below the level of the identified landscape types.

Table 3: Landscape Types and Landscape Character Areas on National Park Boundaries

Authority and Document Character Types bounding North York Moors National Park Reference (and Regional Landscape Character Areas indicated in italics) VP =Vale of Pickering Regional Character Area FOM =Fringe of the Moors Regional Character Area NYMCH =North York Moors and Cleveland Hills Regional Character Area VOY = Regional Character Area HH =Howardian Hills Regional Character Area

The Howardian Hills Landscape Plateau (VP & HH) (Countryside Commission 1995) Southern Moors Fringe (HH) Vale of York (VOY & HH)

The Landscapes of Northern A Undulating Farmland (VP & FOM) Ryedale (Gillespies for Ryedale B Riverside Farmland (VP & FOM) District Council August 1999) C Sloping Wooded Farmland (FOM) D Sloping Open Farmland (FOM) E Wooded Dales (FOM) F Linear Scarp Farmland (FOM) G High Eastern Farmland (FOM) H Open Vale Farmland (VP) I Western Vale Farmland (VP)

North York Moors National Park Authority North York Moors National Park Landscape Character Assessment December 2003 WHITE YOUNG GREEN ENVIRONMENTAL K Enclosed Linear Farmland (VP)

Landscape Assessment of Landscape Character types that fall within and on the Hambleton District (Woolerton boundary of the North York Moors National Park Truscott for Hambleton District 1a Upland Plateau - forested Council -not dated) 1b Upland Plateau – semi-natural heather moorland 2a Escarpment - wooded 2b Escarpment - open 3 Isolated minor landform 4a Intensive farmed lowland (varied topography) - enclosed 4b Intensive farmed lowland (varied topography) – intermediate enclosure 4c Intensive farmed lowland (varied topography) - open 5a Intensive farmed lowland (simple topography) - enclosed 5b Intensive farmed lowland (simple topography) – intermediate enclosure 6b Linear River Landscapes – minor river valleys 6c Linear River Landscapes – broad upland ‘dale’ 7b Estate Landscape (including parkland) – of general interest

Authority and Document Landscape Units bounding North York Moors National Park Reference (and Regional Landscape Character Areas indicated in italics)

Scarborough Borough Council B Vale of Pickering (VP) Local Plan Fact Sheet 7 H Moors Fringe North of Seamer and Ayton (NYMCH) Landscape Appraisal i Scarp Slope and Footslope (Scarborough Borough Council ii Dip Slope May 1994) I Moors Fringe North of Snainton and Brompton (NYMCH) J Land North of Scalby (NYMCH) i Moors Fringe East of Railway ii Coastal Area East of Railway L Sandsend – Whitby Coastal Zone (NYMCH) M Abbey Plain Coastal Zone (NYMCH) N Spital Vale (NYMCH) O Larpool and Stainsacre Beck (NYMCH) P Low Dale, (NYMCH) Q Esk Valley (NYMCH) i West of Sleights ii Between Briggswath and Ruswarp iii East of Ruswarp R Moors Fringe (NYMCH)

1.7 Methodology

The methodology used for this assessment has followed that recommended in the Landscape Character Assessment Guidance prepared on behalf of the Countryside Agency and Scottish Natural Heritage by Land Use Consultants and the Department of Landscape, University of Sheffield, 2002. Briefly, the process included:

• familiarisation with the area through information gathering, sieve analysis and desk study, culminating in the preparation of a map of draft landscape types and character areas compatible where possible with those identified across boundary areas;

• site survey including completion of field survey forms, photography and other field recording to check draft character types and areas and refine as necessary; prepare final draft map indicating boundaries and consult with Park Authority;

North York Moors National Park Authority North York Moors National Park Landscape Character Assessment December 2003 WHITE YOUNG GREEN ENVIRONMENTAL • consultation with key individuals to assist the team in understanding landscape character and in particular recent and future pressures for change and trends;

• identification of key characteristics of each character type and area;

• identification of positive and negative pressure for change in relation to each landscape character type;

• prepare GIS map with links between identified map areas and relevant sections of text;

• report text, illustrative sheet and map production and submission to Park Authority.

1.8 Structure of the Report

This report sets out the findings of the landscape character assessment in four sections:

• following this introductory section, Section 2 describes the landscape character of the North York Moors as a whole together with the physical, historic and cultural, settlements and buildings and landcover influences that have shaped the landscape;

• Section 3 considers the pressures for change that are acting on the landscape;

• Section 4, the main body of the report, sets out the key characteristics of each of the character types and areas identified and summarises the pressures for change facing individual landscape types. Each of these character areas is accompanied by an illustrative colour sheet to convey the key visual qualities of the area.

1.9 The Next Steps

Landscape character assessment is essentially a baseline study that can act as a starting point for further studies which can assist the National Park Authority in fulfilling its statutory duties. Landscape character assessment can be applied or developed in the following ways:

• it can form the basis for the preparation of a landscape strategy and management guidelines;

• it can form the basis for determining the capacity of the landscape to accept certain development or to determine the development potential of particular areas;

• it can inform development control, guide the design of and assess the suitability of development proposals and guide appropriate landscape mitigation;

• it can form the basis for guiding woodland expansion;

• it can act as a baseline for devising and targeting agri-environment schemes;

• it can guide the development of local plan policies and the preparation of the National Park Management Plan;

• it can act as a basis for public consultation or information regarding the special qualities of the landscape of the National Park.

North York Moors National Park Authority North York Moors National Park Landscape Character Assessment December 2003 WHITE YOUNG GREEN ENVIRONMENTAL 2.0 THE NORTH YORK MOORS NATIONAL PARK

2.1 Key Characteristics

• Upland plateau landscape underlain mainly by sandstone and mudstone of Middle Jurassic age, and in the south, calcareous sandstone and limestone of Upper Jurassic age, with areas of undulating land arising from deposits of glacial till, sand and gravel.

• Plateau dissected by a series of dales, often broad and sweeping, but with steep- sided river valleys in places, and floored by Lower Jurassic shales.

• Extensive areas of heather moorland on plateau and hills, creating a sense of space, expansiveness and openness.

• Arable landscape to south and east, but part still on elevated, sweeping plateau and hills.

• Sparsely settled, with population concentrated in the dales and around the fringes.

• Valley landscapes characterised by predominantly pastoral farming with clear demarcation between the enclosed fields, farms, settlements and the moorland ridges above. The transition is often marked by bracken fringes.

• Panoramic views over moorland ridges, dales, surrounding lowland vales and the sea.

• Extensive areas of coniferous plantations, especially on the Tabular Hills in the south east and Hackness north of Pickering; with remnant areas of predominantly ancient semi-natural woodland occurring mainly on valley side slopes, on escarpments and fringing hills.

• Traditional stone walls and hedgerows enclosing fields in the dales and lower fringing farmland - now often replaced by fences.

• Farms and villages built of predominantly rubble limestone or dressed sandstone, with red pantile or slate roofs.

• Distinctive and dramatic coastal landscapes with high cliffs, small coves and bays, coastal towns and fishing villages.

• Rich archaeological heritage from many different periods, especially on the high moorland plateaus.

2.2 Landscape Character

The North York Moors and Cleveland Hills are a very clearly demarcated block of high land in the north east of the counties of Yorkshire and Cleveland. To the north east the boundary is the North Sea, while to the north and west there is a steep scarp slope rising above the Tees valley and the . Here a curiously shaped, conical outlier of Lower Jurassic rocks, , has become a distinctive and well known landmark. The Cleveland Hills are the highest area, but they merge in to the Hambleton Hills in the south west, which in turn drop sharply down to the Vale of York. Along the south margin the Tabular Hills dip gently to the south and east, but there is still a distinct change in slope where the land drops down to the Vale of Pickering.

The most notable feature of the area is the expansive sweep of unenclosed, predominantly heather moorland at a remarkably low altitude, with long and panoramic views in all directions. This creates a strong feeling of space, expansiveness, openness and, sometimes, solitude and wilderness. The sense of remoteness is enhanced by the relatively few roads and settlements

North York Moors National Park Authority North York Moors National Park Landscape Character Assessment December 2003 WHITE YOUNG GREEN ENVIRONMENTAL which are visible on the moorland plateaus. The upland plateaus contrast with the dales with their scattered farmsteads and patterns of drystone walls enclosing small pastures. The central core of moorland is the watershed; the dales tend to run north - south. The dales running south tend to be broad and sweeping in their upper reaches, but are narrow and twisting where the rivers cut through the limestone and calcareous sandstone of the Tabular Hills; these include Newtondale and Forge Valley which were cut by glacial meltwater. Other dales, such as those containing the tributaries of the Esk and the River Derwent, are narrower, with fields and settlements contained by the moors, and rivers winding round shoulders of rock. In some steep slopes create dramatic narrow gorges often clothed with woods. However, Eskdale which separates the North York Moors from the Cleveland Hills is a much broader valley and lacks the sense of enclosure of many of the other valleys. It has fine stone villages and extensive woodland but the limestone which influences some of the other dales is missing and the flora is not as rich.

The upland extends eastwards to one of the highest stretches of cliff along England's North Sea coast. The close proximity of the sea to the high moors and the sheltered dales adds greatly to the character of the area. The coastline itself is dramatic, with high precipitous cliffs dipping down, in places, to sandy or rocky bays. Small fishing villages cling to the steep valley sides in sheltered locations. The coastline includes some classical areas of British geology.

The highest land, on the moorland plateaus, lacks any tree cover, so the wooded areas that do exist are often particularly prominent. In the south and east extensive conifer plantations cloak stretches of moorland and valley sides. Elsewhere there are small broadleaved woodlands on the side slopes of the dales, many of these have been replanted as mixed woodland in the Hambleton and Tabular Hills. The isolated farmsteads in the upper dales are sometimes sheltered by groups of sycamores. Bracken is an important landscape feature too, forming a fringe to the moorland and marking the transition from moor to valley pastures. Often there are strong colour contrasts, most notably the purple of the heather in late summer, the russet of the bracken through the winter months, the green of the enclosed grasslands in spring and early summer and the darker areas of the conifers all year round. All these complement the grey or sandy colours of the stone buildings, villages and drystone walls.

The scale of the landscape is generally large and sweeping and contrasts dramatically with some intimate views within the dales and wooded areas. In the south and east, where there are deeper soils, large fields are devoted to arable and root crops. The scale of the landform, the extensive views, and the lack of boundaries, other than occasional fences, nevertheless continue the feeling of openness from the down these lower slopes. The arable landscape also extends along the coastal strip, where glacial deposits create good quality soils; here there is a striking contrast as the farmed landscape extends right up to the edge of the high cliffs, which then drop suddenly straight down to the sea. This coastal strip widens out in the north, until it meets the East Cleveland Hills, an area of rough pasture and moorland.

2.3 Physical Influences

This upland area of north east Yorkshire and Cleveland is underlain by rocks of Jurassic age, which rise sharply from the adjacent lowland regions. Much of the raised plateau lies at over 360 metres in altitude, but it has also been folded, with a major anticline running east-west, a subsidiary dome that is revealed at the coast near Robin Hood's Bay. A syncline contains the Esk valley, with a further less pronounced east-west anticline to the north, between the coast and . The whole block tilts gently to the south and east, and erosion over time has resulted in a singularly simple and majestic landform. Streams and small rivers have cut deeply into the plateau, with the Esk running east to the coast, and the Derwent and its tributaries draining south. Thick sandstones and thin impure limestones of Middle Jurassic age underlie most of the upland area to the north of the Tabular Hills. It is these rocks that form the dramatic scarp slope that rises sharply from the vale landscapes in the north and west, and the precipitous cliffs along the coast from Kettleness to Scarborough. The fossiliferous limestone and calcareous sandstone of the Upper Jurassic Corallian Group create the distinct form and character of the Tabular Hills in the south, and the Hambleton Hills in the west/south-west. The Tabular Hills include scarps that rise impressively about the moors, but the rocks dip to the south to drop below the Upper Jurassic clays of the adjacent Vale of Pickering. The Corallian Group also forms a cap to the hard resistant sandstones which form the Hambleton Hills, rising some 250 metres

North York Moors National Park Authority North York Moors National Park Landscape Character Assessment December 2003 WHITE YOUNG GREEN ENVIRONMENTAL above the vale as a precipitous scarp slope.

Lower Jurassic rocks underlie the entire area and are exposed in the deeper inland dales and along the coast. They are predominantly shales which were exploited for alum, jet and cement stone concretions but also include seams of ironstone. Coal was also worked from Middle Jurassic rocks. These important mineral resources led to industrial activity over time, especially in the Cleveland Hills. More recently potash and associated halite salts have been extracted from Permian Rocks at great depth at the Boulby mine.

This block of hard rocks resisted the glaciers of the last glaciation which moved down from the north and west, deflecting the ice sheet to the west and east. Glacial action is therefore only revealed in the deposition of glacial till and sandy gravel in the north, and along a coastal strip only a few miles wide. These deposits result in a more undulating landform in these areas. Vigorous scouring by water associated with the glaciers has also cut deep valleys, notably the narrow gorge of which forms a link between the Esk Valley and the Vale of Pickering to the south.

An important geological feature of the North York Moors is the Cleveland Whinstone Dyke. This is the largest and longest of the igneous dykes arising from tectonic movement in the tertiary period which includes Fingles Cave and the Giants Causeway. The dyke has its most easterly outcrop on Blea Hill Rigg on Moor and although not continuous on the surface, extends for 50 km to Eaglescliff. For most of its exposure the dyke has been quarried as a source of durable stone. It is now most noticeable in the North York Moors on Sleights Moor, and to the south of Grosmont and to the north of as a continuous trench line of disused quarries.

2.4 Historical and Cultural Influences

Signs of settlement and activity from prehistoric times onwards are still visible, particularly on the moors where the remains have largely been protected by the heather moorland. There are barrows dating from the period, but the moors are rich in cairns, tumuli and stone circles of the Bronze Age, indicating that the area was populated at a time when the climate was warmer and drier, and these areas were thinly wooded and easily cultivated. Later generations seem to have been less inclined to settle in the area. The most notable Roman artifacts which have been found are Cawthorn Camps, a training camp, Wade's Causeway, a track running in a north to south direction over the moors, and signal stations along the coast.

Place names indicate extensive settlement and farming by Angles along the south-facing Tabular Hills, while the Danes settled in the north-east, and along the north and west sides of the upland block. Later Norse settlers moved in over most of the uplands. Carved stone crosses still remain from these early days of Christianity, and often form striking landmarks along moorland roads and tracks.

Parishes tend to be large. Small nucleated villages arose in the valleys where there was sufficient cultivatable land to operate open field systems to provide basic crops, while livestock were grazed on the higher land. A , centred upon Pickering, stretched far to the west and north, with small villages existing within it.

Major changes came with the arrival of monasteries in the 12th century, seeking to benefit initially from the remoteness of the area and then from the opportunities for sheep rearing. and Byland Abbeys were the most dominant, controlling extensive areas of moorland, and establishing outlying granges. Enclosures of small fields around villages began at this time. Extensive enclosure of the open field system occurred after the dissolution of the monasteries, from the late 16th century, while larger enclosures, dividing up the outlying pastures and common grazings on the moorland, resulted from the Parliamentary enclosures of the late 18th and 19th centuries. However much of the moorland still remains unenclosed.

From medieval times small scale industrial workings, of stone quarries, coal and ironstone, have supplemented the agricultural economy, and the legacy of this activity, including disused railways, is still visible on the moors and hillsides. Along the coast jet has been extracted since the Bronze Age but reaching a peak in the 19th century. Alum, for use in tanning and dyeing,

North York Moors National Park Authority North York Moors National Park Landscape Character Assessment December 2003 WHITE YOUNG GREEN ENVIRONMENTAL was extracted by open quarries which have locally altered the landform, especially along the coast. In the Cleveland Hills ironstone working has been locally important and indeed in this area these are more obvious industrial influences than in the more southerly parts.

As production of wool and meat became more important, the upland villages turned more of their fields over to permanent pasture and hay making, and this, in turn led on to the pattern of mixed agriculture currently in operation, albeit with silage replacing hay. Grouse shooting become an important activity on the heather moors. On lighter soils at lower altitudes arable crops were favoured, and since the 1960s cover large areas especially to the south and east. In these areas planting of extensive coniferous plantations in the 1920-1960s altered the character of the landscape.

2.5 Buildings and Settlement

The scattered farmsteads, villages and walls which are characteristic of the area are built from local stone. This creates a visual unity and links the settlements closely to the surrounding landscape. The pattern of villages was laid down early on, at the time of settlement by the Angles, Danes and Norse. These villages are small and nucleated and built of the local sandstone or limestone, and roofed with red pantiles which is unusual in an upland area. This, coupled with the careful control of new development, has resulted in strikingly attractive small villages. The main market towns are located around the fringe of the upland block, and include , Pickering, Whitby and Guisborough. Helmsley, Pickering and Guisborough are attractive inland market towns closely linked with the surrounding rural area, while Whitby is a coastal town, with its economy based on tourism and fishing. The effect of tourism on the coastal settlements of the Park is significant.

The tight-knit fishing villages tucked into bays on the coast arose later than the inland farming villages, with Sandsend first recorded in 1254, and Staithes in 1415. Rights to take profits from wrecks seem as significant as harvesting the products of the sea in these early times. Dwellings in the coastal fishing villages, such as Staithes and Robin Hood's Bay, are tightly packed together in narrow valleys leading down to the bays. Without gardens, and built almost on top of each other, the houses are connected by alleys and stepped lanes.

Rievaulx Abbey, the ruins of a Cistercian monastery established in the 12th century, has become one of the most famous sights of the area. Set in its own small twisting valley it is picturesque and evocative of times past, and has inspired many artists and poets. More recent structures also have a notable impact on the landscape, including: the chimney of the potash works at Boulby; the towering pyramid of the MOD installation at Fylingdales, which has now replaced the earlier ‘golfballs’ familiar to many people, the transmission mast at Bilsdale; and large caravan parks on the cliff tops.

2.2.6 Land Cover

The area contains the largest continuous expanse of heather moorland in England and Wales. The dominant heather (Calluna Vulgaris) thrives on the acidic peaty soils in an area of relatively low rainfall while cotton grass and other species of rush and heath occur on more boggy ground. Since the Second World War much moorland has been reclaimed to grow arable crops or planted with conifers. The moorlands which support a good cover of ling and associated species are those under a sound management regime, usually related to grouse shooting or moorland flock management. They often support a range of moorland birds such as curlew, golden plover and merlin.

Bracken represents a distinct transition zone, occurring as a fringe to the moorland, on the free- draining side slopes of the moors and valleys. Elsewhere the area is dominated by rough pastures and improved grasslands, supporting the rearing of sheep and cattle. The grasslands of the dales have been subject to continued agricultural improvement since the war, with the consequent loss of semi-natural grassland and moorland to improved grass. In addition, the trend has been away from hay to silage, resulting in much more homogenous green swards of vigorous grasses instead of species rich hay meadows. A substantial part of the area is covered by coniferous forestry, and wide arable landscapes occur on the limestone slopes and in the coastal areas. Broadleaved woodland remains an important landscape component.

North York Moors National Park Authority North York Moors National Park Landscape Character Assessment December 2003 WHITE YOUNG GREEN ENVIRONMENTAL

North York Moors National Park Authority North York Moors National Park Landscape Character Assessment December 2003 WHITE YOUNG GREEN ENVIRONMENTAL 3.0 CHANGE IN THE LANDSCAPE

3.1 Introduction

The landscape of the North York Moors National Park has evolved from the combination of many centuries of man’s use of the land and the inherent geological, topographical and hydrological characteristics of the area. The landscape continues to evolve in response to forces for change, which may be imposed by land use practice and wider economic, global and demographic factors.

The North York Moors, by virtue of its National Park status, tends to avoid major built- development pressures that occur in other parts of the country but is not immune to global changes or to the consequences of national demographic, economic and lifestyle changes. The main forces driving change in the landscape character of the National Park have been, and are likely to remain, developments in agricultural practice and the effect of numerous small-scale, minor developments. The latter can add up to important cumulative effects, which can considerably weaken and detract from the character of the wider landscape.

Forces for change in the recent past have led to impacts on landscape character including:

• loss of heather moorland; • loss or degradation of hedgerows and stone walls; • increase in fencing; • loss of rough pasture to improved pasture; • loss of meadows; • decline in species rich grasslands; • decline in wetlands / wet grasslands; • drainage of upland areas; • construction of new larger farm buildings; • inappropriate conversion or dereliction of farm buildings; • farm diversification projects; • highway improvements; • tourism impacts; • suburbanisation; • loss and decline of broadleaved woodland; • historic impact of past mineral workings. • impact of masts in certain areas.

The impact of the above changes, most notably those relating to changes in agricultural practice and habitat loss has led to the development of a number of schemes both nationally and within the National Park aimed at addressing agri-environment issues, habitat protection and diversity and woodland management. Whilst beneficial, these schemes in themselves promote changes that are likely to have a noticeable effect on future landscape character within the National Park.

Predicted pressures for change, both positive and negative, which may shape the future landscape of the National Park are summarised below under topic headings.

3.2 Agriculture

• Agri-environment schemes including the North York Moors Farm Scheme (involving some 150 farms on whole farm management schemes), Countryside Stewardship, English Nature’s Wildlife Enhancement Scheme and the Farm and Rural Community Scheme are beginning to result in the halting or reversal of the decline of traditional farming practices, loss of habitat and landscape features.

• Dereliction of both hedges and stone walls has also been largely halted in the central areas of the moors where there are agri-environment schemes in operation but remain a problem where such schemes do not operate.

North York Moors National Park Authority North York Moors National Park Landscape Character Assessment December 2003 WHITE YOUNG GREEN ENVIRONMENTAL • Much attention has been given in recent years to the loss of heather moorland, which is an important feature of this landscape, and to the health and condition of the areas that remain. This loss has now all but ceased through the process of designation of heather moorland and the reversal of losses to farming and forestry that have occurred through changes in government policy.

• Pressure for fencing of roadsides has reduced although pressures for fencing of the open moors remains high, due to the practice hefting of moor tops. The flocks on the open moor tops operate territorially, keeping to a traditional territory that they have learned through generations of shepherding. If a flock is withdrawn from the moor top, the sheep tend to spread into the vacated area, which may result in them spreading out to such an extent the farmers management of the flock becomes unviable. To avoid this problem, there is pressure to fence the moor tops to avoid the spreading of flocks, which to date the National Park has resisted by supporting additional shepherding. This pressure is likely to continue. Temporary fencing has been accepted in certain areas e.g. where heather regeneration is needed or for hefting purposes.

• Continued intensification of agricultural management in areas not covered by agri­ environment schemes, including land drainage, re-seeding and fertiliser application, results in continued impact on ecological diversity and landscape character. Levelling of pastures and destruction of historic and small scale topographic features may also occur as a result of intensification.

• Where extensive grazing or ‘ranching’ is practiced, the need for small fields is obviated which may lead to boundary features including hedges and walls becoming redundant and falling into disrepair. As these features are expensive to maintain they are sometimes replaced with timber or wire fencing causing further erosion of landscape character. (The Countryside Commission document Landscape Change in the National Park 1991 identified that within the North York Moors National Park, from the 1970’s to late 1980’s, some 80km of walls and 198km of hedgerows were lost, compared to a gain of 91km in fencing).

• Issues such as global markets, concerns over food safety, consumer demands and new technology will have an impact on our current farming system, leading to a predicted need for new approaches and priorities if a sustainable agricultural industry which conserves the character of the countryside is to be maintained. Reform of government policy and of the Common Agricultural Policy, in the form of reductions in production subsidies and changes in the support of sustainable farming, is predicted as a key issue in the 21st century, which will enable greater integration between agriculture and environmental management.

• Consumer demand and changing preferences e.g. for specialist foods/organic foods/ farmers markets may result in less intensive agricultural production which may support landscape and biodiversity aims. Development of markets in farm products from particular landscapes (e.g. the Countryside Agency’s ‘Eat the View’ initiative) may strengthen the rationale for maintaining distinctiveness of those landscapes.

• Pressure for the introduction of new farm buildings, (e.g. large sheds to over winter stock and slurry tanks) or inappropriate conversion or (occasionally) dereliction of redundant buildings is likely to continue. New buildings, which can bring important agricultural benefits, may be out of scale with traditional buildings, may detract visually from traditional farmstead groups or may be constructed from unsuitable modern materials. Similarly, vernacular buildings may be neglected when they are no longer suited for modern farming purposes. Pressure may arise to convert redundant agricultural buildings for employment, residential or holiday use, providing an alternative source of farm income but sometimes resulting in loss of traditional character. These factors combine to weaken the distinctive vernacular architecture of buildings within the Park. Loss of farm buildings within villages may also change settlement character.

• Around 20% of the Park is under arable farming which has resulted in loss of landscape

North York Moors National Park Authority North York Moors National Park Landscape Character Assessment December 2003 WHITE YOUNG GREEN ENVIRONMENTAL features and degradation of landscape since the last war and which creates its own pressures in areas of the Park where it is prevalent, including the southern edge and the coastal strip where farming is quite intensive.

• Neglect is a concern now in marginal farming areas. Land that is not easily farmed may not be managed at all, leading to invasion by coarse grasses, bracken or scrub. As yet there has been no abandonment of farms, although many of the upland farms are marginal. There is potential for farms to go out of business in the future, leaving a vacuum in upland management. There is also a research proposal to consider the rewilding of the landscape which, if implemented would involve taking a number of farms out of production.

3.3 Upland Management

• Well-managed moorland areas, mostly managed for shooting, form a complex mosaic of heath, upland grassland and bog of significant value for both plants and breeding birds, in addition to their expansive, open visual character. Pressure from under- or overgrazing or drainage has in the past lead to decline in these habitats. Many landowners are now working with conservation agencies to redress the effects of historic changes and to enhance moorland habitats (for example the Countryside Stewardship Scheme and the National Park’s Moorland Regeneration Programme). It is predicted that this trend will continue, resulting in the creation of a more diverse moorland character.

• Shooting requirements represent one of the main activities on the moors. The replacement or surfacing with stone of previously grassy tracks used by shooting parties can affect landscape character especially where newly laid or surfaced in materials that are not local to the area which may stand out starkly from the darker heather moors.

• Small areas of bracken have little effect on landscape character but more extensive swathes can reduce visual diversity. Bracken encroachment in the National Park has now been halted or possibly reversed. Providing existing appropriate management measures continue this is expected to remain the case.

• The Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 will enable open access over moorland areas. This may lead to future impacts such as increased erosion or vegetation damage, particularly near to obvious viewpoints or summits.

3.4 Biodiversity Aims

• Following the 1992 Earth Summit in Rio the importance of bio-diversity has gained greater recognition, being promoted at National level in the UK in 1994 by the publication of Biodiversity: The UK Action Plan, followed locally within the National Park by publication of its own Biodiversity Action Plan in November 2001. The broad objectives of the plan are:

1. To conserve and where practicable enhance:

a) the populations and ranges of native species and the quality and range of wildlife habitats; b) internationally important and threatened species, habitats and ecosystems; c) species, habitats and managed ecosystems that are characteristic of local areas; d) the biodiversity of natural and semi natural habitats where this has been diminished over recent past decades.

2. To increase public awareness of and involvement in conserving biodiversity.

3. To contribute to the conservation of biodiversity at the global scale.

North York Moors National Park Authority North York Moors National Park Landscape Character Assessment December 2003 WHITE YOUNG GREEN ENVIRONMENTAL • Aspects of the plan which encourage change and which may have noticeable effects on landscape character include:

- an increase in new native woodland cover within the National Park by 1000ha by 2012, particularly to reverse the fragmentation of existing native woods; a further 100ha of woodland and scrub at the moorland edges, and the restoration of 1500ha of plantations on ancient woodland sites by 2012; - improving management of grasslands to improve floristic variety; - reinstatement of small wetland areas to improve habitat quality and encourage breeding birds; - moorland management to protect wet heath and bog communities, block grips, undertake bracken control, stop invasion of trees, encourage removal of conifers from moorland; - encouragement of the creation of strips of diverse riparian habitat along watercourses.

• In broad terms, biodiversity action plans support the preservation and creation of distinctive habitat and landscape character types, or the beneficial diversification of others such as the large expanses of acidic grassland, thereby supporting landscape character objectives.

• There are clear links between characteristic habitat types and the birdlife they support, which in turn adds to the visual diversity and richness of the Park e.g. moorland areas supporting golden plover, short-eared owl and merlin. As the BAP meets its aims, the subtle, landscape character benefits provided by wildlife should increase.

3.5 Trees, Woodland and Commercial Forestry

• The England Forestry Strategy (Forestry Commission 1998) sets out strategies which if implemented could affect landscape character, including the protection of ancient woodland and more particularly the reversal of the fragmentation of existing native woods through replanting and the creation of new woodlands. The latter strategies are reinforced by George F Peterken’s report ‘Native Woodland Development in the North York Moors and Howardian Hills’, which includes the following proposals which may impact upon landscape character:

-increasing the area of native woodland outside plantations (with particular emphasis on completing linkages within the western fringes as far as Bilsdale and on new planting in farmland in these areas; reinforcing links in the Southern Hills, particularly the ridge south from Lockton Low Moor and the diffusely wooded zone at the southern end of Pockley and Skiplam Moors; expanding small isolated woods in the Moorland valleys and Esk catchment; new plantings within coastal areas or allowing scrub development; reinforcing riparian woodlands within the moorland, moorland valleys and Esk catchment and coastal plain, throughout their length and into headwaters; expanded and linked woods within the coastal valleys and scrub on cliffs with coastal belts of forest habitats); -diversification of plantations; -improved management of ancient and native woodland; -planting and maintenance of tree cover in non wooded areas (e.g. maintaining wood pasture and creation of new wood pasture; maintaining pasture woodlands on moorland fringes and reinforcing by planting in bracken banks; replacing farmland trees; increasing density of field trees in moorland valleys and Esk valley on lower ground where they can reinforce riparian woodlands and on upper ground where they can reinforce the moorland fringe; develop wood meadows in association with open spaces in Southern Hills woodland and plantations). • The National Park Management Plan sets out similar intentions including improvement of the environmental quality and maintenance of the productive potential of plantations; the encouragement of the expansion of existing woodland and the creation of new

North York Moors National Park Authority North York Moors National Park Landscape Character Assessment December 2003 WHITE YOUNG GREEN ENVIRONMENTAL woodland in appropriate locations. These initiatives are likely to have a significant effect on future landscape character, which is expected to be beneficial if woodland design guidelines are followed and inherent landscape characteristics are respected.

• Coniferous plantations have had a significant impact on the landscape of parts of the National Park and cover some 15% of the land area. The Forestry Commission manages some 13.5% of the land area of the National Park the remaining areas being in private ownership. Forestry of areas has created permanent damage to the fabric of the landscape in certain areas. The Forestry Commission has improved the appearance of many of these forested areas through the implementation of Forest Design Plans, which improves their visual appearance through attention to the edge shape and profiles of the forests and through the introduction of species and habitat diversity. Certain forested areas still retain a blocky shape such as those at the head of Glaisdale and Wheeldale, and others remain inappropriately sited including the forest at the head of Bransdale.

• Woodland decline has occurred and is still occurring due to neglect and changes in management practice, for example the use of woodlands for shelter and grazing of livestock, a reduction in management; little new woodland planting has taken place in recent years. Grazing by rabbits and deer is also a factor in preventing woodland regeneration. Wood pasture is a traditional woodland form within the National Park but needs careful stock management to both maintain its pasture characteristics and also allow woodland regeneration. Established National Park policy and grant schemes such as the Forestry Commission’s Woodland Grant Scheme is expected to address these issues, leading to an improvement in the health of existing woodlands.

• Although loss of hedgerows has been halted by the introduction of the Hedgerow Regulations, the quality of hedges continues to decline through neglect and lack of management, due to management practice, for example mechanical cutting of hedgerows which may in turn lead to a loss of hedgerows. These practices may lead to the loss of existing hedgerow trees and prevent natural regeneration. The National Park Management Plan recognises and seeks to address this issue. The Hedgerow Regulations may prevent removal of historic or ecologically valuable hedgerows, however, no comparable legislation exists to protect walls.

• Exotic species may be appropriate within historic parks and gardens, or within settlements, leading to positive landscape benefits. Planting of ornamental or non indigenous trees on garden boundaries, in farmland and within country estates can, however, have a cumulative detrimental influence if it is out of keeping with the character of the landscape. Although awareness of this issue is improving, such planting is difficult or impossible to control and it remains a pressure.

3.6 Recreation and Tourism

• The last half of the 20th century has seen increasing growth in access to the countryside. Traffic is regarded as the biggest pressure on the landscape by members of the public. With a rising average population age, increasing mobility and availability of leisure time it is predicted that the trend of rising visitor numbers will continue in the future. Tourism plays a vital role in the economy of the Park but it also places considerable strain on some areas, particularly the coastal areas e.g. Robin Hood’s Bay, where large numbers of visitors concentrated within villages can lead to adverse environmental impacts and significant effects on local residents. Examples of pressures include footpath erosion particularly of popular routes (e.g. , ) or impact on wildlife; indirect effects include loss of tranquility, increased traffic, parking problems (and consequent damage to roadside verges), buying of holiday homes, inappropriate development of tourist-related business, a general pressure for new development to provide for and to attract visitors and increased demands on utilities infrastructure. There is potential for visitor numbers to increase to the point where they undermine the character and enjoyment of the National Park.

• Static holiday caravan sites are presumed against in the Local Plan and are not

North York Moors National Park Authority North York Moors National Park Landscape Character Assessment December 2003 WHITE YOUNG GREEN ENVIRONMENTAL therefore anticipated to create further pressure for change within the Park. Measures are being put in place to improve their integration through screen planting. Pressure to increase provision of log cabins for holiday use remains an issue.

• Rock climbing, pot holing, mountain biking, hang gliding and parasailing are becoming increasingly popular, and may lead to minor physical erosion (e.g. climbing and mountain biking) or visual impact and loss of tranquillity where concentrations of use occur. Often these pursuits occur in open areas such as moorland or cliffs, where the ability of the landscape to absorb visual impact is limited.

• Following implementation of the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000, impact on fragile open moorland areas may increase. Conversely, the argument exists that the availability of access over open areas may reduce the damaging effects of the present concentration of access along limited public rights of way.

• The use of motorised recreational vehicles (in particular four wheel drives and motorcycles) that can cause significant damage to unsurfaced routes may decline marginally following the implementation of the Countryside and Rights of Way Act. The Act contains some limited changes to legislation that require vehicle users to prove their claims for vehicular rights on routes of unclear status. However, the effectiveness of the legislation will continue to be dependent upon the willingness and ability of the police and the Crown Prosecution Service to take enforcement action.

3.7 Settlement Change and Expansion

• Changes within the social and physical fabric of settlements are occurring, reflecting the transition from an agricultural economy to one of increasing reliance on tourism, the national trend of migration from urban areas to the countryside and the adoption of urban tastes and values. This change is manifested in the loss of functional building uses (for example barns and farms may no longer be used for agricultural purposes) and consequent pressures for conversion, pressures for infill development, gentrification of properties and requirement for increased lighting as security for properties. The production of village appraisals or village design statements is beginning to address these issues.

• Increasing demand for commuter use, work-from-home use, retirement or second homes within the National Park is leading to pressure for provision of more affordable housing for local people, or pressure to convert redundant or under-used agricultural buildings. Many settlements in the Park have few, if any, remaining sites capable of further development and any change could affect the relationship between settlement and landscape that is a special attribute of the Park.

• Numerous small-scale changes result in the suburbanisation of settlements and buildings such as inappropriate door and window replacements and garden boundary treatments. Highway-related changes, including major road improvement schemes and minor changes such as kerbing, parking controls, signage and lighting contribute to this effect. Cumulatively, these small scale changes could have a significant impact on otherwise unspoilt settlements or areas of landscape.

• Village improvement schemes have the potential to enhance the character and visual quality of settlements, especially if following on from the production of village appraisals or village design statements.

• Pressure for the introduction of new farm buildings or conversion of redundant buildings, as noted previously, can have a significant impact on landscape character. 3.8 Communications, Power Generation and Distribution, Military Infrastructure

• Given strong policy protection, large-scale telecommunications masts are not predicted to be a major future source of change within the National Park. Cumulative

North York Moors National Park Authority North York Moors National Park Landscape Character Assessment December 2003 WHITE YOUNG GREEN ENVIRONMENTAL ‘suburbanising’ effects could arise, however, from pressure to provide mobile phone networks, particularly as technology within the industry changes and customer use becomes more widespread and service coverage expectations increase. Masts, buildings and tracks can have a very significant effect on sensitive landscapes.

• Large-scale wind turbine developments are unlikely to be permitted within the National Park, but proposals for individual wind turbines for isolated farmsteads, where they would not detract from the character or amenity of the area, may be allowed. Pressure may therefore arise for numerous small wind turbine developments, which, whilst being compatible with wider sustainability objectives, could have a cumulative visual impact on landscape character.

• Overhead power and telecommunications lines, although generally small in scale, are a feature of even the most remote areas and contribute both individually and cumulatively to a decline in the unspoilt character of both landscapes and traditional settlements. Settlement expansion, employment provision or conversion of outlying buildings may result in the pressure for new utility service lines although the Local Plan supports the placement of new services underground. Pressures for the upgrading of the Northern Electric overhead line to Whitby (supported on pylons) may arise in the future.

• The use of satellite dishes may increase as digital television becomes obligatory. Although dishes can be sited discretely and coloured recessively their cumulative use may still impart a ‘suburbanising’ effect, particularly within otherwise unspoilt villages and hamlets.

• Pressure may increase for the use of solar panels in buildings. As for satellite dishes, these can potentially exert a suburbanising influence within settlements, although with design development (for example being designed to the same form and colour as roof tiles) they may be unobtrusively incorporated into traditional buildings.

• In response to global warming and energy issues, future pressure may arise for the construction of hydroelectric schemes or increased reservoir provision within the National Park.

• Although the proportion of military land is not high, the requirement to increase security at Fylingdales, or possibly extend it for use as part of the Star Wars programme, may result in localised pressures. The impact of Fylingdales on the night sky is significant.

3.9 Roads and Traffic

• Many roads within the National Park remain narrow and winding adding to the distinctiveness of the landscape. With increasing visitor numbers and changes to vehicle sizes (for example increasing coach and HGV size) pressure may arise for local road improvement schemes, which may lead to loss or dilution of existing character. Improvement in roads can also bring increasing traffic. Similar pressure for change may occur at historic bridges, which can act as a constraining factor on the road network, yet are often important features within the landscape. A considerable range of measures are outlined in the Local Plan to balance highway needs with preservation of local character but it must be assumed that pressure for change will remain while the number of road users increases.

• Many highway improvements are not subject to planning controls and are undertaken as part of ongoing safety or maintenance works. Pressure for these types of improvement is ongoing. Lighting, kerbing and road signage can all lead to loss of distinctive local character or intrude upon the tranquil night-time scene and dark skies, but may be necessary to meet safety requirements. An increase in the number of visitor attraction signs (brown signs) has occurred in recent years, adding to roadside clutter.

• Road verges are a minor overall part of landscape character but can play a significant role in the appreciation of the Park by visitors. Verge damage may be caused where

North York Moors National Park Authority North York Moors National Park Landscape Character Assessment December 2003 WHITE YOUNG GREEN ENVIRONMENTAL there is pressure on parking facilities and inappropriate management can diminish species diversity and visual character of verges. Pressure on verge, tree and hedgerow management is likely to be directly related to available highway maintenance budgets and awareness amongst maintenance staff of ecological management issues (e.g. correct mowing times, frequency of cutting, tree care issues).

3.10 Mining and Quarries

• The deep potash mine, Boulby Mine, has visually prominent buildings but has limited additional impact on the landscape as spoil is tipped either within the mine or piped out to sea. The mine is likely to continue for about 25 years unless economic circumstances change.

• Two limestone quarries in the south of the Park at Spaunton and Spikers Hill will cease quarrying within the next few years and be returned to limestone grassland within the quarry bottom.

• Given the planning controls that within the National Park, it is unlikely that new quarries or lateral extension of the existing larger quarries will occur.

• Stone for local buildings is provided for by small stone quarries in the central part of the Park although there is no small limestone quarry to provide for local building need in the south of the Park, which may cause local difficulty with the appropriate repair of local buildings. Small quarries may be reopened in the future to supply for such needs, but would be unlikely to have a significant effect on landscape character.

3.11 External Influences

• Increasing pressure for developments such as wind farms, telecoms masts, transmission lines, large-scale forestry, water management (e.g. pipelines, service reservoirs, pumping stations) or highway improvement schemes may result in impact to the landscapes surrounding the National Park, which may in turn impact on areas of outward facing landscape within the National Park.

3.12 Air Pollution and Climate Change

• Air pollution and climate change may impact adversely on all habitats within the National Park but certain habitats would be more sensitive to change. For example, montane and open water habitats would be subject to damage by acid rain whilst mires and heathlands would be vulnerable to nutrient deposition. In landscape character terms these changes may be subtle, occurring over long periods of time but could erode existing upland character and distinctiveness through loss of habitat and the wildlife it supports.

• Increasing rainfall may have implications for upland drainage patterns and washland areas within the valley bottoms, leading to increased erosion and provision of flood defence structures, which may be damaging or visually inappropriate.

3.13 Geological and Archaeological Resource

• Coastal erosion, resulting in an average loss of 5 metres of land every 10 year period, together with coastal defence measures around coastal villages to tackle this problem e.g. at Runswick Bay and Robin Hoods Bay (which can have significant visual impact).

• River engineering and flood defence improvements can adversely impact on fluvial sites.

• Gradual loss of geomorphological features due to agricultural improvement, forestry and woodland/tree planting.

North York Moors National Park Authority North York Moors National Park Landscape Character Assessment December 2003 WHITE YOUNG GREEN ENVIRONMENTAL

• Afforestation or woodland development can obscure or damage geological and archaeological exposures.

• Recreational or commercial mineral and fossil collecting can damage exposures or old mine tips.

• Mine spoil may be depleted for agricultural or engineering use, for example in the construction and maintenance of hardstandings and tracks.

• Road safety or maintenance improvements can lead to the loss of roadside geological and archaeological features.

• Although many of the pressures are of a small-scale nature their cumulative effect could lead to a general deterioration of the important geomorphological, geological and archaeological resource within the Park.

• Erosion of paths and tracks across moorland causes damage to the resource.

• Damage also results from insufficient information or care i.e. during heather cutting, grouse butt creation or maintenance, bracken crushing etc.

North York Moors National Park Authority North York Moors National Park Landscape Character Assessment December 2003 WHITE YOUNG GREEN ENVIRONMENTAL 4.0 LANDSCAPE CHARACTER TYPES AND AREAS

The outcome of the study is presented in the section that follows. The National Park area has been to classified into 9 distinct landscape character types and 31 landscape character areas, as set out below:

1. Moorland (1a) Western Moors (1b) Central & Eastern Moors (1c) Northern Moors

2. Narrow Moorland Dale (2a) Ryedale (2b) Bilsdale (2c) Bransdale (2d) Farndale (2e) Rosedale (2f) Hartoft (2g) Baysdale (2h) Westerdale (2i) Danby Dale (2j) Fryup Dale (2k) Glaisdale

3. Forest (3a) Cropton (3b) Langdale/Harwood Dale/Newton House (3c) Dalby (3d) Wykeham

4. Coast and Coastal Hinterland (4a) Boulby - Whitby (4b) Whitby – Cloughton

5. Limestone Hills (5a) Southern Hambleton /Tabular Hills (5b) Tabular Hills (5c) Southern Dales and Southern Moor Foot

Narrow Glacial Channel and Griffs (6a) Newtondale and Hole of Horcum (6b) Forge Valley

Limestone Dale (7a) Hackness (7b) Upper Harwood Dale

Central Valley (8a) Commondale-Upper Eskdale (8b) Lower Esk Valley

Upland Fringe (9a) Cleveland Foothills (9b) Western Fringe

For each landscape type and landscape character area, the key characteristics are presented. The potentially damaging and beneficial pressures on the landscape are set out in tabular form for each landscape type and the potential significance of the pressures to the character of the landscape is assessed.

North York Moors National Park Authority North York Moors National Park Landscape Character Assessment December 2003 WHITE YOUNG GREEN ENVIRONMENTAL

1. Moorland

■ Moorland Landscape Character Areas

Landscape Character Areas Location

(1a) Western Moors

(1b) Central & Eastern Moors

(1c) Northern Moors

North York Moors National Park Authority North York Moors National Park Landscape Character Assessment - December 2003 WHITE YOUNG GREEN ENVIRONMENTAL

1. Moorland

■ Key Characteristics: Landscape Type

• Elevated open expansive upland, forming a gently undulating plateau with local variations in topographic form, generally underlain by Middle Jurassic Ravenscar sandstone, mudstone and thin coals deposited as a deltaic series, which have given rise to acidic, peaty soils drained by a dispersed pattern of wet flushes, springs and minor gills.

• The moors drop off steeply into a series of well defined moorland dales whose intimate character is in stark contrast to the simplicity of the moorland landscape. In places glacial meltwater channels have cut deep narrow gorges across the moors.

• Occasional sandstone outcrops mark the moorland edges and scattered boulder fields are present on the moor tops.

• Panoramic long distance views are available across the strong horizons of the moors, across lower lying areas and into the dales. The open skies create a dramatic and ever changing backdrop to the landscape. At night, the darkness of the skies is a key feature.

• Landcover comprises extensive tracts of heather moorland changing in colour from purple in summer to almost black in winter, much of it managed for grouse shooting, which results in a distinctive mosaic pattern of different aged plants mixed with burnt areas and lines of grouse butts. Some moorland is managed for sheep grazing and small areas are unmanaged. Other habitats on the moor tops include small areas of upland heath/grass mosaic, heather/blanket peat grassland mosaic, rough grassland and peat bog.

• Moorland valleys, often steeply incised, provide relief and variety from the expanses of heather moorland with occasional bog and flush communities. The predominant vegetation cover within the valleys is bracken or bracken/upland heath mosaics. Scattered tree cover or small woodlands creates a localised enclosure.

• Bracken predominates on the steeper slopes of the moorland edges intermixed with upland heath and bracken mosaics and small areas of scrub, rough grassland and upland heath/grassland mosaics.

North York Moors National Park Authority North York Moors National Park Landscape Character Assessment - December 2003

WHITE YOUNG GREEN ENVIRONMENTAL

• Tree cover is limited to isolated pockets of deciduous woodland in dale head areas and within moorland valleys and very occasional windswept specimens on the moor tops. Occasional small coniferous plantations are associated with the moorland fringes. • The moorland, mostly grazed by sheep, is generally unenclosed although wire fences are present in some locations.

• Settlement is almost entirely absent; occasional isolated farms occur in moorland valleys surrounded by walled fields and sheepfolds.

• The moors are rich in historic features, including ancient crosses, guide stones and boundary markers that form characteristic landmarks. Lines of small round barrows follow the ridgelines of the moors and are visible as skyline features. Pannier tracks cross the moors in places.

• The remains of small scale quarries, historic collieries and jet and alum workings and their associated spoil tips are visible on moorland edges, on the dale sides and in the dale head areas.

• Crossed by few roads, the moors are relatively inaccessible; creating a strong sense of remoteness and isolation. Lines of grouse butts cross the landscape in places.

• The noise of the wind and the call of moorland birds are often the only sounds present.

■ Pressures for Change

Table 1A: Negative Pressures for Change Pressures Predicted Consequence of Change to Landscape Feature Degree of Significance for Change Pressure of Pressure to Landscape Character

Land Use Changes Agricultural Decline of woodland/ individual trees/small groups of trees on upland fringes High Medium change and in gills (due to neglect, changes in management, absence of new including planting) econom ic Damage t o geological/geomorphological features e.g. outcrops, clifflines, Low Low pressures on boulder fields etc (from agricultural operations, tree planting, recreat ion etc) farming, Damage t o historic/archaeological features (agricultural operations, Medium Medium farms going recreational pressures etc) out of Subdivision of open moor tops by wire fencing. High Medium/high business, Scrub encroachment in areas where no moorland m anagement taking Medium Medium changes in place stocking Potential for m arginal m oorland farms to go out of business. High High rates and abandonmen t of grazing

Recreational Pressures Growth in Increased traffic, parking problem s, bridge and verge damage, off road High High visitor vehicle/motorcycle/mountain bike damage, damage associat ed with other numbers outdoor pursuits, disturbance to wildlife Surfacing of m oorland tracks and creation of new tracks Medium Medium Footpath and bridleway erosion, large scale sponsor ed events, Increased Medium Medium access to open upland areas Development Pressures Infrastructure Telecom and m obile phone m asts Med High pressures Single wind turbines, overhead power and telephone lines Low High Highway related changes, including road and bridge improvement, kerbing, High High parking cont rols, signage and lighting Increasing traffic High High Developm ent Large scale developments occurring beyond the National Park boundary Medium Low out side which can exert a visual influence e.g. m ajor roads, telecoms masts, wind National farms, transmission lines, etc Park boundary Developm ent Reduction in tranquillity, solitude and wilderness Low High pressures Loss of unspoilt character and sense of historic continuity Low High

North York Moors National Park Authority North York Moors National Park Landscape Character Assessment - December 2003 WHITE YOUNG GREEN ENVIRONMENTAL

generally Loss of dark skies Low High

Table 1B: Positive Pressures and Opportunities Pressures for Change Predicted Consequence of Change Significance of Pressure to Landscape Character Positive economic pressures inc. increasing More money available to support landscape and High em phasis aw ay from subsidies for production environmental init iat ives and tradit ional agricultural practices, towards subsidies t o support the rural resulting in halting or reversal of decline of traditional econom y and the environm ent e.g. agri practices, loss of habit at and landscape feat ures. environment schemes) Moves towards increase in native woodland Increased tree and woodland cover in t he appropriate Medium cover, the reversal of fragmentat ion of exist ing locat ions would be a significant benefit to landscape woods through replanting, the creation of new character, restoring decline, providing design and siting of woodlands and improved m anagem ent of woodlands and species are sympat hetic t o landscape existing woodlands. Also increase in tree cover character. Indiscriminate planting could threaten landscape in non-wooded areas. (BAP, NYMMP, character Peterken Report, England Forestry Strategy) Improvement in appearance of, or replacement of, smaller Medium scale coniferous plantations. Cropping offers opportunity for replacement with broadleaves or return to other habitats Move towards multi purpose forestry and m ore Est ablished plantat ions are not being increased in size and High sensitive m anagem ent of forest ed areas (BAP, new plantations unlikely. Cropping offers opportunity for NYMMP, Peterken Report, England Forest ry replacement with broadleaves or return to other habitats Strategy) Move towards gener al habit at improvem ent Habitat improvem ent, diversification and reinstatement, High and reinst atem ent (BAP, English Nature, providing adequate funding and incentives ar e available, DEFRA etc) leading to improved wildlife diversity.

■ Landscape Character Areas

(1a) Western Moors

• Elevated open expansive upland, part of the Cleveland and Hambleton Hills, forming a gently undulating plateau sloping gradually towards Ryedale and the western edge of the moors and more steeply towards the north and into Bilsdale to the east.

• Generally underlain by Middle Jurassic Ravenscar sandstone, mudstone and thin coals deposited as a deltaic series, which have given rise to acidic, peaty soils drained by a dispersed pattern of wet flushes, springs and minor gills mainly flowing into Ryedale and towards the western fringes of the moors.

• The contrasting landform of the flat topped, steep sided plateau of Arden Great Moor (400m on Black Hambleton), underlain by Corallian limestones and sandstones, rises as a steep escarpment above the general level of Osmotherley Moor.

• Outcropping rocks, weathered into strange shapes, create a surreal moorland landmark (the Wain Stones) on Hasty Moor. Occasional sandstone outcrops mark the moorland edges and scattered boulder fields are present on the moor tops.

• Panoramic long distance views are available across the strong horizons of the moors, across the lower lying areas to the west and into the central dales. The open skies create a dramatic and ever changing backdrop to the landscape. At night, the darkness of the skies is a key feature.

• Landcover comprises extensive tracts of heather moorland (forming part of the largest continuous area of heather moorland in England, almost all of which is designated as SSSI, SPA and Candidate SAC), changing in colour from purple in summer to almost black in winter and managed for grouse shooting, resulting in a distinctive mosaic pattern of different aged plants mixed with burnt areas and lines of grouse butts.

North York Moors National Park Authority North York Moors National Park Landscape Character Assessment - December 2003 WHITE YOUNG GREEN ENVIRONMENTAL

• Bracken predominates on the steeper slopes of the moorland edges. Smaller areas of heather exist in mosaic with grassland/blanket peat grassland. The white flowers of areas of cotton grass punctuate the landscape in summer. Broughton Bank is locally important for its Jurassic flora.

• Tree cover is limited to isolated pockets of deciduous woodland in dale head areas and very occasional windswept specimens on the moor tops. A small area of ancient woodland is present at Locker Wood. Occasional small coniferous plantations are associated with the moorland fringes.

• The moorland, grazed by sheep, is generally unenclosed although wire fences are present in some locations.

• Settlement is almost entirely absent; occasional isolated farms occur in moorland valleys surrounded by walled fields and sheepfolds.

• Lines of small round barrows follow the ridge lines of the Hambleton and Cleveland Hills and are visible as skyline features; dykes (ancient boundary earthworks) are also present on the western edge of Arden Great Moor. The remains of an ancient cross are visible below Hambleton End.

• Extensive alum quarries and their associated spoil tips are visible on the northern side of ; further alum quarries occur at Thimbleby.

• Drifts of jet are present on the northern sides of the moors visible as V-shaped gashes in moorland slopes, with small shale tips uncolonised by grass or bracken, some a distinctive red colour as a result of firing.

• Crossed by few roads, the moors are relatively inaccessible; the tops of Arden Great Moor are only accessible on foot, creating a strong sense of remoteness and isolation. Lines of grouse butts cross the landscape in places. The Cleveland Way runs along the western edge of the character area.

• The noise of the wind and the call of moorland birds are often the only sounds present in the area.

• Detractors include the mast on Bilsdale West Moor and the scars created by the shooting tracks and quarries of the moorland edges.

(1b) Central & Eastern Moors

• Open moorland, the central moors forming part of the Cleveland Hills, rising to a high point of 433m at Stony Ridge on Stockdale Moor and 402m at Cock Heads on Glaisdale Moor, and gradually falling in height towards the east. The moors drop off steeply into a series of well defined moorland dales to the north and south whose intimate character is in stark contrast to the simplicity of the moorland landscape.

• The overall appearance is one of an undulating plateau, although locally there are marked variations in topographic form, particularly in the north where the closely spaced parallel dales have resulted in the development of pronounced steep side moorland riggs. Towards the east glacial meltwater channels such as at Newtondale have cut deep narrow gorges across the moors.

• The moors are underlain by Middle Jurassic Ravenscar sandstone, mudstone and thin coals deposited as a deltaic series, which have given rise to acidic, peaty soils drained by a dispersed pattern of wet flushes, springs and minor gills draining radially into the surrounding dales.

• The Cleveland Dyke or Whinstone Ridge, formed from the only to occur within the Park extends north west from Fylingdales Moor across Sleights Moor and has been quarried and

North York Moors National Park Authority North York Moors National Park Landscape Character Assessment - December 2003 WHITE YOUNG GREEN ENVIRONMENTAL

mined for roadstone at several locations. At Sil Howe, the now partly filled quarries can be seen extending down towards the Esk Valley.

• Moorland gripping is a feature of Bilsdale East Moor, Badger Gill and Greenhow Moor. Grid iron pattern of drainage occurs on Commondale Moor.

• The eastern moors are bounded by the large coniferous plantations of Cropton and Langdale forests to the south and by the plantation at Newton House to the north, which intrude upon the openness of the moors.

• Occasional sandstone outcrops mark the moorland edges and scattered boulder fields are present on the moor tops.

• Expansive long distance views are available across the strong horizons of the moors, towards the dramatic form of the limestone escarpment of the Tabular Hills to the south, into the central dales and towards the sea at the eastern end. The open skies create a dramatic and ever changing backdrop to the landscape. At night, the darkness of the skies is a key feature.

• Extensive tracts of heather moorland (forming part of the largest continuous area of heather moorland in England, almost all of which is designated as SPA, SSSI and Candidate SAC), changing in colour from purple in summer to almost black in winter and mostly managed for grouse shooting, result in a distinctive mosaic pattern of different aged plants mixed with burnt areas and lines of grouse butts. Towards the east, moorland management has a less marked influence on the landscape. Other habitats on the moor tops include small areas of upland heath/grass mosaic, heather/blanket peat grassland mosaic, rough grassland and peat bog.

• Moorland valleys, often steeply incised, provide relief and variety from the expanses of heather moorland with occasional bog and flush communities. The predominant vegetation cover within the valleys is bracken or bracken/upland heath mosaics. Scattered tree cover or small woodlands creates a localised enclosure.

• Bracken predominates on the steeper slopes of the moorland edges intermixed with upland heath and bracken mosaics and very small areas of scrub, rough grassland and upland heath/grassland mosaics.

• Tree cover is limited to isolated pockets of deciduous woodland (a number of which are semi natural or replanted ancient woodlands) in dale head areas and within moorland valleys and very occasional windswept specimens on the moor tops.

• Wheeldale Plantation, which appears to envelop this moorland dale and is very regular in shape, is an incongruous element in the landscape and intrudes on the moorland scene. Other small coniferous plantations are associated with the moorland fringes.

• The moorland, mostly grazed by sheep, is generally unenclosed although wire fences are present in some locations.

• Settlement is almost entirely absent; occasional isolated farms occur in moorland valleys surrounded by walled fields and sheepfolds and marked by groups of trees.

• The moors are rich in historic features, including ancient crosses, guide stones and boundary markers that form characteristic landmarks. Lines of round barrows follow the ridgelines of the moors and are visible as skyline features. Important collections of carved rocks occur on Howdale and Stoup Brow Moors.

• A length of possible Roman road, Wades Causeway, is exposed and visible as a line of large stones crossing the moorland, protected by a fence.

North York Moors National Park Authority North York Moors National Park Landscape Character Assessment - December 2003 WHITE YOUNG GREEN ENVIRONMENTAL

• The remains of small scale quarries, historic collieries and jet workings and their associated spoil tips are visible on moorland edges, on the dale sides and in the dale head areas.

• The moors are crossed by few roads, although the A169 and A171 and the road between Hutton­ le-Hole and Castleton have a local impact. Elsewhere minor roads access the moors and many areas are relatively inaccessible.

• Recreational features include the , the Crosses Walk and Bilsdale Circuit and the Newtondale Horse Trail. Prominent erosion scars occur in some locations along the Lyke Wake Walk. The North Yorkshire Moors Steam Railway crosses the moors to the north of Newtondale, the steam trains visible by their plume of smoke. Grouse shooting parties and vehicles are a regular feature of the moors during the shooting season. Car parks situated within the open moorland are highly visible.

• Away from the roads and the railway, the noise of the wind and the call of moorland birds are often the only sounds present in the area.

• Detractors include the defence site at Fylingdales, the overhead electricity line to Whitby, Wheeldale Plantation, car parks, the A169 and A171 and its associated traffic and the scars created by the footpaths, shooting tracks and quarries of the moorland edges. The impact of Fylingdales on the night sky is significant.

(1c) Northern Moors

• Elevated open expansive upland, part of the Cleveland Hills, forming a gently undulating plateau sloping gradually towards and the western and northern edges of the moors and more steeply towards Eskdale to the south.

• Generally underlain by Middle Jurassic Ravenscar sandstone, mudstone and thin coals deposited as a deltaic series, overlain by Oxf ord Clay and Kellaways Rock on the more elevated areas to the north of Eskdale, which have given rise to acidic, peaty soils drained by a dispersed pattern of wet flushes, springs and minor gills mainly flowing into Eskdale and towards the northern fringes of the moors.

• Roseberry Topping is a prominent and well known landmark on the far western edge of the moors, its bent pinnacle shape derived from a rockfall caused by quarrying for building stone.

• Panoramic long distance views are available across the strong horizons of the moors, across the lower lying areas to the west and north, across Eskdale towards the central moors and towards the coast in the east. The open skies create a dramatic and ever changing backdrop to the landscape. At night, the darkness of the skies is a key feature, although to the north of the area this has become eroded by the glow from the Cleveland conurbation. • Landcover comprises extensive tracts of heather moorland (forming part of the largest continuous area of heather moorland in England, almost all of which is designated as SSSI and Candidate SAC), changing in colour from purple in summer to almost black in winter and managed for grouse shooting, resulting in a distinctive mosaic pattern of different aged plants mixed with burnt areas and lines of grouse butts.

• Bracken predominates on the steeper slopes of the moorland edges, particularly in the south, and occurs in mosaic with upland heath in moorland valleys. Smaller areas of heather exist in mosaic with grassland. Scattered boulder fields are present on the moor tops.

• Tree cover is very sparse, limited to very small pockets of deciduous woodland in dale head areas and very occasional windswept specimens on the moor tops. Two small coniferous plantations are located on the moorland fringes above Commondale.

• The moorland, grazed by sheep, is generally unenclosed although wire fences are present in some locations.

North York Moors National Park Authority North York Moors National Park Landscape Character Assessment - December 2003 WHITE YOUNG GREEN ENVIRONMENTAL

• Settlement is almost entirely absent; very occasional isolated farms occur in moorland valleys surrounded by walled fields.

• The moors are rich in archaeological features, including the lines of round barrows that follow the ridgelines of the moors above Eskdale and are visible as skyline features; and areas of earthworks, enclosures and field systems. The remains of ancient crosses, boundary markers and pannier tracks are occasionally visible and a park pale is located on Commondale Moor.

• Quarries and colliery workings are visible on the southern edge of the moors above Eskdale. • The A171 runs along the northern edge of the character area and the moors are crossed by the C20 and short sections of the B1266 and B1366 and minor roads running north from Danby. Elsewhere, the moors are relatively inaccessible.

• Lines of grouse butts cross the landscape in places. The Cleveland Way crosses the western edge of the character area.

• The noise of the wind and the call of moorland birds are often the only sounds present in the area.

• Detractors in include the C20 road, with its inappropriate kerbing and associated snow markers, small coniferous plantations on the moorland fringes, reservoirs (Lockwood Beck and Scaling Dam) just beyond the character area boundary and the scars created by the shooting tracks and quarries of the moorland edges.

North York Moors National Park Authority North York Moors National Park Landscape Character Assessment - December 2003 WHITE YOUNG GREEN ENVIRONMENTAL

North York Moors National Park Authority North York Moors National Park Landscape Character Assessm ent - Decem ber 2003 WHITE YOUNG GREEN ENVIRONMENTAL

North York Moors National Park Authority North York Moors National Park Landscape Character Assessm ent - Decem ber 2003 WHITE YOUNG GREEN ENVIRONMENTAL

North York Moors National Park Authority North York Moors National Park Landscape Character Assessm ent - Decem ber 2003 WHITE YOUNG GREEN ENVIRONMENTAL

2. Narrow Moorland Dale

■ Narrow Moorland Dale Landscape Character Areas

Landscape Character Areas Location

(2a) Ryedale

(2b) Bilsdale

(2c) Bransdale

(2d) Farndale

(2e) Rosedale

(2f) Hartoft

(2g) Baysdale

(2h) Westerdale

(2i) Danby Dale

(2j) Fryup Dale

(2k) Glaisdale

North York Moors National Park Authority North York Moors National Park Landscape Character Assessment Decem ber 2003 WHITE YOUNG GREEN ENVIRONMENTAL

2. Narrow Moorland Dale

■ Key Characteristics: Landscape Type

• Dales deeply incised into open moorland, with smoothly sloping lower valley sides and steep upper valley sides, underlain by soft Lias mudstones and Cleveland ironstone with thin limestone beds.

• Of varying form, some of the dales narrow in their lower reaches and become enclosed by surrounding moorland, others broaden allowing views out of the dale; the majority of dales are u- shaped with a narrow valley floor although many become v shaped in part where they narrow in their upper or lower reaches; some dales have a winding form and others are straighter.

• The shallow rivers or becks that drain the dale are generally marked by a line of native broadleaved trees; the becks themselves are seldom visible in the wider landscape. . Trees often follow the line of gills down the valley side.

• Density of natural woodland cover varies although is generally sparse within the dales; it tends to be confined to small areas on the steeper slopes or in narrow belts fringing watercourses. Areas of wood pasture occur.

• The density of ancient woodland, both semi-natural and replanted, is generally low,

• Field trees tend to be concentrated in the lower lying areas close to the rivers, reinforcing valley bottom tree cover; on the upper slopes field boundary trees are infrequent. Valley bottom trees are almost always broadleaved.

• Coniferous plantations, of generally small to medium size, are frequent in the majority of dales and tend to be concentrated on the upper slopes of the valley sides or in the dale head areas. Many are poorly designed and with regularly shaped edges and detract from the character of the dales.

• The surrounding moorland vegetation cover, particularly bracken and bracken/upland heath mosaic spills over the upper valley side, particularly towards the dale heads. Occasional clifflines and frequent quarries occur on the moorland edge.

North York Moors National Park Authority North York Moors National Park Landscape Character Assessment Decem ber 2003 WHITE YOUNG GREEN ENVIRONMENTAL

• In some of the dales strong landscape patterns are created by the lines of trees that follow the watercourses or the pattern of dry stone walls and hedges, in other dales these patterns are more diluted and less obvious.

• The valley bottom and mid to lower valley sides are mostly given over to pasture for sheep and cattle, or occasional arable crops. Small to medium sized fields are divided by a mixture of stone walls, closely trimmed or mature hedges and occasional fences. Boundary trees are present but not frequent.

• The dales are settled by small traditional farms and houses of stone with red pantile roofs situated along the springline at the mid valley side. Some of the dales contain villages or hamlets.

• The dales are generally accessed by minor roads running up the dale or which descend into the dale from adjacent moorland.

• Many dales have been subject to historic and generally small scale exploitation for their mineral resources particularly jet, coal and ironstone, the scars of which are often visible on the upper valley side.

■ Pressures for Change

Table 2A: Negative Pressures for Change Pressures Predicted Consequence of Change to Landscape Feature Degree of Significance for Change Pressure of Pressure to Landscape Character

Land Use Changes Agricultural Decline of woodland and wood pasture (due to neglect, changes in High High change management, grazing pressure) including Decline of boundary trees/hedger ow trees/individual trees/ sm all groups of High High econom ic trees (due to neglect, changes in m anagem ent, absence of new planting) pressur es on Damage t o geological/geomorphological features (from agricultural Low Medium farming, operat ions, tree planting, recreation etc) farms going Decline in historic agricultural/ settlem ent features (e. g. ridge and furrow, Medium Medium out of earthworks) due to agricultural intensification, tree planting, recreational business, pressur es etc modernisatio Damage t o archaeological features (agricultural operat ions, recreational Medium Medium n/intensificati pressur es etc) on, changes Introduction of m odern farm buildings, slurry tanks, grain towers etc Medium High t o land t enure, farm Continued intensification of agricultural management especially in arable areas, leading to: diversificatio Decline in rough pasture/species rich and wet grasslands in favour of High High n, changes in improved pasture stocking Disrepair/loss of dry stone walls High High rates Replacement of walls and hedges with fencing High High

Decline in/neglect/loss of hedgerows High High Decline in wildlife and plant species variet y which contribute significantly to High High landscape character Potential for m arginal farm land to revert to unmanaged state, leading to Medium High invasion of coarse grasses, bracken and scrub. Recreational Pressures Growth in Increased traffic, parking problem s, bridge and verge damage, footpat h and High High visitor bridleway erosion, off road vehicle/motorcycle/mountain bike dam age, numbers damage associated with other outdoor pursuits, disturbance to wildlife Increasing commercialism within villages, t ourist related development, Medium High holiday hom es, pressures to increase extent/number of camping/caravanning sites, potential pressure for large scale developm ent Development Pressures Demand for Pressure for small scale settlement expansion inc. infill Medium Medium residential Cumulat ive effect of changes in the physical fabric of settlem ents, inc. High High and holiday conversion of redundant buildings, closure of shops and schools, homes in the introduction of tourism facilities, creeping suburbanisation and gentrification National of settlem ents, inappropriate planting and loss of specim en trees within Park settlements

North York Moors National Park Authority North York Moors National Park Landscape Character Assessment Decem ber 2003 WHITE YOUNG GREEN ENVIRONMENTAL

Infrastructure Telecom and m obile phone m asts Low High pressures Highway related changes, including road and bridge improvem ent, kerbing, High High parking cont rols, signage and lighting Increasing traffic High High Developm ent Reduction in tranquillity, solitude and wilderness Medium Medium pressures Loss of unspoilt character and sense of historic continuity Medium Medium generally Loss of dark skies Medium Medium

Table 2B: Positive Pressures and Opportunities Pressures for Change Predicted Consequence of Change Significance of Pressure to Landscape Character Positive economic pressures inc. increasing More money available to support landscape and Medium em phasis aw ay from subsidies for production environmental init iat ives and tradit ional agricultural practices, towards subsidies t o support the rural resulting in halting or reversal of decline of traditional econom y and the environm ent e.g. agri practices, loss of habit at and landscape feat ures. environment schemes) and consum er pressure for local production of food, organic food etc Moves towards increase in native woodland Increased tree and woodland cover of scal e envisaged would High cover, the reversal of fragmentat ion of exist ing be a significant benefit t o landscape character, rest oring woods through replanting, the creation of new decline, providing design and siting of woodlands and woodlands and improved m anagem ent of species are sympathetic to landscape character. existing woodlands. Also increase in tree cover Indiscriminate planting could threaten landscape charact er in non-wooded areas. (BAP, NYMMP, Improvement in appearance of, or replacement of, smaller High Peterken Report, England Forestry Strategy) scale coniferous plantations. Cropping offers opportunity for replacement with broadleaves or return to other habitats Move towards multi purpose forestry and m ore Est ablished plantat ions are not being increased in size and High sensitive m anagem ent of forest ed areas (BAP, new plantations unlikely. Cropping offers opportunity for NYMMP, Peterken Report, England Forest ry replacement with broadleaves or return to other habitats Strategy) Move towards gener al habit at improvem ent Habitat improvem ent, diversification and reinstatement, High and reinst atem ent (BAP, English Nature, providing adequate funding and incentives ar e available, DEFRA etc) leading to improved wildlife diversity. Involvem ent of community in production of This m ay help reverse cum ulative changes to sett lement s. Medium village design appraisals and st atem ent s, Developm ent and tourism related pressures Offers opport unities for the restoration of farm buildings, Low houses and other structures of historic significance (e.g. mining remains) that might have otherwise fallen into disrepair

■ Landscape Character Areas

(2a) Ryedale

• A steep sided long and narrow winding v-shaped valley, becoming u-shaped in its central reaches around , the u-shape becoming more pronounced in the lower dale. Steep wooded valley side slopes define the valley and create a strong sense of enclosure along much of its length.

• The dale overlies deltaic sandstones and mudstones. The upper dale lies between the imposing flat topped steep sided limestone escarpment of Arden Great Moor to the west and the more gently graded landform of the moors to the east. South of Hawnby the valley is incised between the flat topped plateau of the limestone Hambleton Hills to the west and the Tabular Hills to the east.

• Conical hills on the moorland edge (including Hawnby Hill and Easterside Hill) and within the dale (Combe Hill) contribute to the very distinctive character of the upper dale.

• The dale opens out around Hawnby where it is joined by the significant tributary valley Bilsdale (a separate character area with its own distinct identity). Ryedale is joined by a number of tributary valleys along its length, mostly from the west where they are steeply incised into limestone and

North York Moors National Park Authority North York Moors National Park Landscape Character Assessment Decem ber 2003 WHITE YOUNG GREEN ENVIRONMENTAL

• are narrow, winding and densely wooded. The tributaries to the east are fewer in number and incised into the moorland, where they are of a more open character.

• Areas of pasture are confined to the flat valley floor in the lower dale and on the lower valley sides /valley floor in the upper dale. Fields are generally divided by overgrown hedges with hedgerow trees with walls being more prevalent towards the dale head. Toward the dale head, moorland vegetation begins to encroach on the valley sides.

• Blocks of dense woodland cover significant areas of the dale. In the north sporadic blocks of deciduous and mixed woodland follow the course of the river along the valley floor. Regular monotonous blocks of coniferous planting are dominant throughout the central reaches, in particular at Blueberry Wood and Comb Hill. Further south, linear deciduous woodland (much of which is replanted ancient woodland) and coniferous plantations are concentrated on the valley sides and along the length of the adjoining tributaries. Farmed areas are well treed contributing to the wooded character of the dale.

• Both Hawnby and Rievaulx are traditional nucleated settlements, the former prominently located on the side of Hawnby Hill, the latter on the valley floor adjacent to the river. Farms and houses are located on the valley sides in the upper dale but are less frequent in the lower dale where the historic influence of has been strong. The buildings are generally of sandstone with red pantile roofs, although some thatched cottages are found in Rievaulx village.

• Rievaulx Abbey, a grade 1 listed building and a Scheduled Ancient Monument, is a key feature of the lower dale and an important tourist attraction. Archaeological features include a large medieval and later iron industry around Hawnby and Rievaulx.

• The curving forms of the terraces, ha-ha, paths and woodlands of the extensive 18th century designed landscape of , registered as a grade 1 site by English Heritage, encompasses the most southerly part of the dale and adjoining areas. Features of the monastic landscape are visible at Rievaulx.

• Bilsdale Transmitting Station Mast can be seen on the horizon particularly from the upper reaches of the dale.

(2b) Bilsdale

• Deeply incised steep sided u-shaped valley with an open flat valley floor in its upper reaches underlain by soft Lias mudstones and Cleveland ironstone with thin limestone beds. The dale forms a major tributary of Ryedale. The steep sides of the valley display a creased and folded landform.

• The dale has a pronounced twin dale head separated by the narrow ridge of upland, Cold Moor, drained by two watercourses, Raisdale Beck and Bilsdale Beck that meet below the settlement of to form the . The dale heads are situated close to the north facing slopes of the Cleveland Hills and have breached the narrow strip of moorland surrounding the dale head in two locations to allow very limited views from these points across the lower lying areas to the north.

• Wath Hill is a prominent feature within Raisdale at the head of the dale, its distinctive form partly clothed with coniferous plantations.

• Cliff edges are often visible on the upper slopes of the dale sides, generally within the adjacent moorland character area.

• The valley floor narrows slightly in the lower reaches the dale and the steep valley sides extend down to the river, which, together with the increased tree cover in the lower reaches, creates more enclosure. The distinctive steep sided and flat-topped form of Easterside Hill dominates the lower dale.

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• The River Seph is relatively straight in its upper reaches, tightly meandering in central reaches and becomes broader to south. The major tributary, Ledge Beck joins the river at Grange in central dale and a dense pattern of relatively straight minor tributary gills line the valley.

• A prominent feature of the dale is the regularly shaped and unsympathetically sited conifer plantations situated on the upper valley sides, frequently in skyline locations or forming a straight upper edge just below the moorland edge. Areas of bracken and bracken/upland heath mosaic occur on the upper valley sides. Elsewhere, landcover comprises mainly of pasture grazed by sheep. The fields are of medium size and irregular in shape, divided by both hedges and walls. Towards the south of the area the fields become smaller. Some wetland vegetation communities are present in the valley bottom and areas of rough pasture occur throughout the dale.

• Linear areas of deciduous woodland occur throughout the dale, concentrated along the river and its tributaries. A few areas of semi natural or replanted ancient woodland occur with the lower dale and a large area occurs at Tripsdale within the centre of the dale.

• The busy main road (B1257), one of the major north-south routes within the National Park, runs through the centre of the dale, following a similar alignment to the River Seph. Occasional minor roads extend from the B road to access farms and hamlets. A minor road through the centre of the dale provides access to Raisdale and areas to the north.

• The dale is settled by a number of hamlets concentrated in the upper reaches of the dale, including Chop Gate, Seave Green, Town Green, Urra and Fangdale Beck. Farms are generally situated on the mid valley sides, reached by long tracks running off the B1257 at right angles. Buildings are generally constructed in stone with red pantile roofs, although in the lower reaches of the dale a few buildings are thatched.

• Lines of jet mines mark the valley sides of Bilsdale and have been exploited through small scale workings, identifiable by v-shaped gashes in the valley side each with its own unvegetated spoil tip, some a red colour where they have been fired, which have affected the valley sides throughout the dale, The remains of former small scale colliery workings are visible in the valley side at Carr Cote and Wethercote in the lower dale and small quarries are visible throughout the dale. The remains of medieval and later iron working sites are also present on the valley side.

• Recreational features include a museum at Spout House in the lower dale, a car park, toilets and picnic site at Chop Gate..

• Main detractors to the area are the B1257 and its associated traffic, the coniferous plantations and the mast at the Bilsdale Transmitting station on Bilsdale West Moor, which is visible from many parts of the dale.

(2c) Bransdale

• Broad v-shaped valley, narrowing in its lower reaches, with smoothly sloping lower valley sides and steep upper valley sides, underlain by soft Lias mudstones and Cleveland ironstone with thin limestone beds.

• Unspoilt, quiet valley, the narrow entrance to the dale contributing to a sense of enclosure and isolation within surrounding open moorland.

• Double dale head formed by Bloworth Slack and Badger Gill which join to form in the upper dale.

• Landcover comprises mainly sheep grazed pasture and coniferous plantation with moorland spilling over onto the valley sides, particularly in the lower dale. The upper reaches of the valley sides merge into the adjacent moorland character area.

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• The fields are of a small size and divided by neat dry stone walls, which create a strong patchwork pattern. Fences have replaced walls in some areas.

• Deciduous woodland follows the course of Hodge Beck and lines its tributaries. An area of ancient woodland exists at Low Wood and an area of wood pasture at Church Bank.

• Coniferous plantations clothe the dale head areas. Other blocks of coniferous planting are present on the valley slopes, forming dominant patterns in the landscape.

• The small hamlet Cockayne, at the head of the dale, consists of only a handful of buildings. Other houses and farms are dotted throughout the area. The buildings are of local stone with pantile roofs, each settlement or farmstead marked by small groups of deciduous trees. The church of St Nicholas sits on a hillock overlooking the valley.

• The upper dale is accessed by a circular minor road that descends into the valley from adjacent moorland; it is unenclosed in places and gated at its juncture with the moorland, there is no road through the narrow lower reaches of the dale, contributing to its sense of separation.

(2d) Farndale

• Broad, deep u-shaped valley, with narrow valley floor, smoothly sloping lower valley sides and steep upper valley sides, underlain by soft Lias mudstones and Cleveland ironstone with thin limestone beds. Valley narrows in its lower reaches, where it becomes more v-shaped and enclosed by surrounding moorland.

• The valley is joined by two major tributary valleys in its central reaches, giving a more open feel to this part of the dale. A dense pattern of relatively straight minor tributaries join the river from the springline, situated at the foot of the steeper upper valley side slopes. In the upper dale these gills give an incised and folded appearance to the moorland edge.

• The surrounding high and steep moorland edge, clothed in heather and bracken and with frequent clifflines and quarries, encloses and dominates the dale, particularly in its upper reaches and at the dale head. Horn Ridge is a prominent feature on the western valley side. Glimpsed views are possible towards the limestone escarpment through the narrow dale entrance.

• The dale blooms with a profusion of wild daffodils in spring, which have flourished in the dale for centuries.

• A line of broadleaved trees marks the course of the River Dove and broadleaved trees are frequent within field boundaries on the valley floor giving a well treed appearance to the valley floor. Trees also follow the line of gills down the valley side, creating strong patterns. Small blocks of deciduous woodland (some ancient) and occasional coniferous plantations of Scots pine and larch are a feature of the valley side. A large mixed plantation at Birch Hagg marks the entrance to the dale.

• Land is mostly given over to pasture for sheep and cattle, or silage crops. Small to medium sized fields, often of narrow rectangular shape, cross the line of the slope, creating strong patterns particularly in the upper dale where stone walls are more prevalent. In places the wall pattern has become broken. Hedges, which are more prevalent in the lower dale, are generally mature and contain mature trees.

• The dale is settled by small traditional farms and houses of stone with red pantile roofs evenly spaced along the spring line at the mid valley side. The clustered hamlet of Low Mill is the largest settlement in the dale situated at a river crossing point. Occasional new farm buildings with reflective roof materials intrude upon the dale.

North York Moors National Park Authority North York Moors National Park Landscape Character Assessment Decem ber 2003 WHITE YOUNG GREEN ENVIRONMENTAL

• The dale is accessed by minor roads running along both valley sides, which descend into the dale from adjacent moorland. In the upper dale the minor dead end lanes run through a succession of farmyards.

• Of high nature conservation interest, much of the river course is protected as an SSSI and a large part of the dale forms a local nature reserve.

(2e) Rosedale

• Deep u-shaped valley, with narrow valley floor, smoothly sloping lower valley sides and steep upper valley sides, underlain by soft Lias mudstones and Cleveland ironstone with thin limestone beds. Valley narrows in its lower reaches, where it becomes more v-shaped and completely enclosed by surrounding moorland to the west and Cropton Forest to the east.

• The surrounding high and steep moorland edge, clothed in heather and bracken and with a strongly folded appearance, encloses the dale and spills down the dale side. The dale head is encircled by high moors.

• The valley is joined by two major tributary valleys from the east, Northdale and Hartoft. A dense pattern of relatively straight minor tributaries join the river from the springline, situated at the foot of the steeper upper valley side slopes.

• The round knoll to the north of , topped by Scots pine, and the oval shaped hill to the north, at Bell Top, are prominent topographic features within the dale.

• A line of trees marks the course of the and trees are spotted across the valley floor. Small blocks of deciduous woodland and frequent small and often regularly shaped coniferous plantations are a feature of the valley side. The very extensive coniferous plantations of Cropton Forest and on Hartoft Rigg dominate the entrance to the dale.

• Land is mostly given over to pasture for sheep and cattle, or silage crops.

• Small to medium sized fields, often of narrow rectangular shape, cross the line of the slope, creating strong patterns particularly in the mid and upper dale where stone walls are prevalent. Hedges, which are more prevalent in the lower dale, are often mature and contain mature trees. The dale head area is relatively open although trees line the gills and the River Severn.

• The dale is settled by small traditional farms, with occasional modern outbuildings, marked by groups of trees, and houses of stone with red pantile or frequently slate roofs evenly spaced along the spring line at the mid valley side. Small distinctive hamlets of nineteenth century terraced miners cottages are a feature of the dale. Chapels are a roadside feature.

• Rosedale Abbey is the main village in the dale and a tourist centre, with teashops and pubs. It is a planned village of nineteenth century buildings, much of which is gently gothic in style, situated at a river crossing point.

• The dale is accessed by a single main road, lined by trees south of Rosedale Abbey, which runs through the dale and onto Rosedale Moor; a number of minor roads which branch off the main road.

• Ironstone mining has left Rosedale with a legacy of industrial features, including the line of the ironstone railway, visible as a scar on the upper eastern valley side and the massive calcining kilns visible as a series of tall masonry arches in the same area. The workings have left a despoiled appearance in many areas, which is reduced where they are starting to green over.

• Detractors include coniferous plantations and the caravan parks south of Rosedale village.

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2(f) Hartoft

• Relatively shallow but steeply sloping v-shaped valley forming a tributary valley of Rosedale, underlain by deltaic sandstones and mudstones.

• Character strongly influenced by the presence of Cropton Forest which extends down the eastern valley side (particularly in it is lower reaches) and the outlying forest areas on Hartoft Ridge to the western side of the dale, which together enclose the dale. The forest also partially encloses the upper part of the dale restricting views, although glimpsed views are possible through the gaps in the forestry to the moorland beyond. The dale head in contrast is very open and shallow and surrounded by moorland.

• Land is mostly given over to pasture for sheep and cattle, or silage crops. Fields are small to medium in size and regularly shaped divided by a mixture of dry stone walls and overgrown hedges. Some fields appear to be unmanaged and are reverting back to moorland vegetation.

• Deciduous woodland follows the course of Hartoft Beck and very small blocks of deciduous woodland are present in places on the valley sides. The western valley side is patterned with boundary trees; the eastern valley side in contrast is very open, with few boundary trees.

• Settlement is limited to a few farmsteads and houses on the mid valley side constructed in stone with pantile roofs. A slate roofed chapel is situated on the roadside.

• The dale is accessed by a single minor road, which stops at the farms in the dale head. A walled green lane to Birch Farm is a feature of the eastern valley side.

• An unscreened stone yard located at Rock House Farm adjacent to the road is a major detractor and results in traffic of commercial vehicles up the dale. Other detractors include overhead lines and enclosing forestry plantations.

(2g) Baysdale

• An unusual moorland valley in which the upper part of the dale is in agricultural and forestry use, whilst the lower dale forms part of the adjacent moorland character area.

• A quiet, hidden isolated valley with moorland and bracken extending down the valley sides with a v-shaped upper valley profile and a wider mid valley profile extending down to the underlying soft Lias beds.

• Unmanaged, open upland oak woodland is a feature of the tightly winding course of Baysdale Beck and parts of the valley sides (Baysdale Wood). Woodland shelters in the steep, narrow, inaccessible gills of Black Beck and Great Hograh Beck. The upper dale and eastern dale sides are almost entirely forested. An area of scrub is present on the eastern dale side.

• The valley floor and parts of the western valley side is divided into a series of fairly large pastures for sheep and cattle, with fenced and iron rail boundaries and robust stone walls. Some fields are open to the road.

• The site of the medieval Baysdale Abbey (now demolished and rebuilt) is located in a remote setting within the valley at the point where Black and Grain Becks join to form Baysdale Beck. Other settlement is limited to scattered, isolated farm buildings constructed in stone with pantile /corrugated iron roofs.

• Remote dale, the upper part accessible only by a minor dead end road which runs down the valley side from Battersby Moor to Baysdale Abbey and by a limited number of public rights of way.

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(2h) Westerdale

• A relatively shallow, winding open valley overlying soft Lias mudstone and Cleveland Ironstone with thin limestone beds; the wide flat valley floor pinched by moorland to a very narrow neck in the lower dale creating a strong sense of enclosure and separation. The steep elevated form of Castleton Rigg appears to dominate the dale when viewed from the north.

• The dale is drained by twin becks, the River Esk and Tower Beck, which have created two distinctly separate dale head areas divided by Westerdale Rigg. The becks are an insignificant feature in the wider landscape. The River Esk follows a series of tight meanders along its gently winding course becoming straighter in its lower reaches.

• Land cover is predominantly pastoral although a small number of arable fields are present. Field boundaries are defined by closely trimmed thorn dominated hedgerows in the lower dale with hedgerow trees of oak, ash and holly and occasional modern post and wire fencing. Walls (a number of which are in poor repair) are the dominant boundary features within upper the dale and particularly at the dale head. Occasional patches of rough pasture and upland heath/grass moor are present within the dale.

• Woodland is limited to narrow strips within the gills and along the river course with occasional blocks of broadleaved woodland and coniferous plantations contributing to a wooded feel to parts of the valley floor.

• Westerdale village comprises a small cluster of sandstone dwellings with pantile or slate roofs in the centre of the valley floor at the junction of the minor lanes that access the dale. Settlement elsewhere is limited to a pattern of medium sized farm complexes located on the mid to upper valley sides and small, remote farms and houses within the dale heads, accessible by narrow tracks.

• Small pear shaped tips and slag heaps, the results of past jet and ironstone mining, are a prominent feature of the valley sides. The high arched bridge near Westerdale village is an important feature. The ruins of a monastic grange lie in the fields opposite Esklets Crag in the dale head.

• Moorland mosaic vegetation types (heath and bracken) are encroaching into the dale head where farmland has been abandoned.

(2i) Danby Dale

• A broad relatively straight valley with low steep sides and a gently graded valley floor underlain by soft Lias mudstones and Cleveland ironstone with thin limestone beds. Occasional sandstone outcrops are a feature of the upper valley side in the dale head.

• Dale enclosed by the projecting moorland ridges of Danby Rigg and Castleton Rigg, which dominate views from the valley and create a strong sense of enclosure. The conical hill, Danby Low Moor, is a prominent feature in the central part of the lower dale, clothed mainly in bracken. The eastern part of the lower dale is relatively open, allowing views into Eskdale,

• Danby Beck is narrow and barely visible in its wider valley setting, its relatively straight course marked by linear belts of broadleaved woodland. A series of springs arising on the moor edge incise narrow steep sided valleys into the beck.

• Linear woodland present along watercourses and areas of grazed, upland oak woodland shelter in the valley side gills especially in the upper dale, the lower dale being more open. Small and blocky plantations of larch, beech and spruce detract from the upper valley side and blocky coniferous plantations are a feature of the dale head.

North York Moors National Park Authority North York Moors National Park Landscape Character Assessment Decem ber 2003 WHITE YOUNG GREEN ENVIRONMENTAL

• Ash, sycamore, beech and holly are dominant tree species occurring as isolated field boundary trees and along the roadsides. Groups of Scots pine and other conifers mark the position of the farmsteads.

• Land cover is dominated by improved pasture of medium sized rectangular fields bounded by a mixture of dry stone walls and hedges, walls dominant on the higher valley sides and in the dale head and thorn hedges (mainly closely trimmed) dominant in the lower dale and in the valley bottom. Post and wire fencing and patches of rough pasture occasionally present. Marginal, rushy pasture occurs on the valley sides. Fields of arable and market garden crops are present in the upper dale.

• Dale head defined by steep enclosing landform with moorland vegetation types extending about 2/3 of the way down the valley side, enclosing a relatively confined valley floor. Bracken is a feature of the upper dale sides and the adjacent moorland.

• Botton village (a small dale head community) is associated with modern architecture of brick and timber construction, paved paths, lit roads, post and rail fencing and ornamental species (including beech and forsythia hedges) that appear incongruous within the dale head landscape.

• The prominent sandstone church of St Hilda with encircling churchyard yew trees situated in an elevated area in the centre of the dale is a local landmark. The village of Castleton, situated on a ridge to the north of the character area boundary, overlooks the dale.

• A dispersed pattern of large farmsteads are located on the mid valley sides. The dale is accessed by a network of minor lanes.

(2j) Fryup Dale

• Fryup Dale comprises two parallel steep sided u-shaped dales; Little and Great Fryup Dale, divided in their lower reaches by a narrow steep sided and flat topped upland area, Head, that lends a distinctive character to the dale. The dales are underlain by soft Lias mudstones and Cleveland ironstone with thin limestone beds.

• The dales are drained by the relatively straight Little Fryup Beck and the tightly meandering Great Fryup Beck, which is joined by numerous tributaries along its length. Great Fryup Dale has a broad flat valley floor and a double dale head formed by Slidney Beck and Trough Gill Beck, which becomes Great Fryup Beck at Fryup Hall.

• The central upland area has uniformly steep sides, the upper slopes of which are clothed in deciduous ancient woodland to the east and north; the upland is more open to the western and southern sides where it is clothed in bracken and scrub. The lower slopes are open and grade gently into the valley, strongly patterned by rectangular walled fields at right angles to the slopes.

• Elsewhere the steep dale sides and valley floor areas are open, woodland cover being quite sparse, although linear belts of deciduous woodland follows the line of the beck in places and further linear woodland is present on the western mid dale side in Great Fryup Dale. Unlike many other dales, coniferous plantations are almost entirely absent, with the exception of small plantations at the South End of Heads and along Trough Gill Beck.

• Field patterns are small and square (on the eastern side), or linear (to west) in the lower Great Fryup Dale becoming larger and more regular in the upper dale and in Little Fryup Dale. Fields are mostly divided by stone walls, although hedgerows are also present, both marked by occasional boundary trees. Strong patterns of walls are a marked feature of Little Fryup Dale and of the western slopes of lower Great Fryup Dale. The fields are largely given over to improved grazing for sheep and cattle.

• Settlement is limited to farms and small hamlets situated on the lower slopes of the valley on either side of Great Fryup Dale. In Little Fryup Dale, a minor road running along the edge of the

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character area on the mid valley side is the only access to the dale. The houses are constructed in stone with pantile roofs, with significant gentrification/urbanisation taking place, especially in Great Fryup Dale. In the upper dale the minor road runs through farmyards.

• The dale heads of both Great and Little Fryup Dale are distinguished by a ribbed pattern to the upper slopes, caused by landslipping. Great Fryup Dale head is enclosed by steep undulating areas of scrub, with deciduous woodland on the upper slopes, with minor scars marking the break of slope from the moor top.

• The col, which marks the division between the upper parts of the two dales, is topped by Round Hill, a small conical grass hill.

• A quiet dale, which, lacking a main settlement or main through routes, tends to be bypassed by traffic.

• Small quarries occasionally present on the upper dale side; Furnace Farm in the lower dale marks the location of an early iron-making site.

(2k) Glaisdale

• A gently winding steep sided, deep open valley overlying soft Lias mudstone and Cleveland Ironstone with thin limestone beds; with a broad flat valley floor in its upper reaches and opening out into Lower Eskdale close to Glaisdale village. The lower reaches of the dale are partly enclosed by glacial moraine that has been deposited across the entrance to the dale.

• The dale is drained by Glaisdale Beck, which follows a series of tight meanders along its course marked by a continuous line of trees and joined by a series of straight minor tributaries along most of its length and in its upper reaches by Hardhill Beck and Gill Beck (which in turn drains the tributary valley Wintergill). In the lower reaches the beck cuts a steeply incised course through the morainic deposits.

• Land cover is predominantly pastoral although a small number of arable fields are present. Field boundaries are defined by a mixture of closely trimmed (or occasionally mature) thorn dominated hedgerows with hedgerow trees and dry stone walls which create strong parallel patterns within the flat area of the valley floor; on the upper dale sides walls extend to the top of the slope in places. Occasional modern post and wire fencing has replaced the more traditional boundary features.

• The blocky or artificially rounded shapes of coniferous plantations dominate the eastern valley sides and fill Wintergill; some plantations have been recently removed.

• Woodland is limited to narrow strips within the gills and along the river course with small isolated areas of broadleaved woodland in the dale head. Hedgerow trees are a significant component of the flat valley floor at the head of the dale.

• Glaisdale village is situated just beyond the northern edge of the character area at the confluence between Glaisdale and Eskdale. The church occupies a vantage point looking up to Glaisdale Head. Settlement elsewhere is limited to a pattern of small unspoilt or carefully restored hamlets and medium sized farm complexes constructed in sandstone with pantile or slate roofs located close to the minor road on the mid to upper valley sides.

• The dale is quiet and accessed by a very minor road that circles the upper dale sides.

• Moorland mosaic vegetation types (upland heath/grass moor, scrub and bracken) spill over into the dale head and onto the upper dale sides. Crags and small quarries are located within or close to the moorland edge.

• Detractors include utilities poles, coniferous plantations and the recently clear felled areas.

North York Moors National Park Authority North York Moors National Park Landscape Character Assessment Decem ber 2003 WHITE YOUNG GREEN ENVIRONMENTAL

North York Moors National Park Authority North York Moors National Park Landscape Character Assessm ent Decem ber 2003 WHITE YOUNG GREEN ENVIRONMENTAL

North York Moors National Park Authority North York Moors National Park Landscape Character Assessm ent Decem ber 2003 WHITE YOUNG GREEN ENVIRONMENTAL

North York Moors National Park Authority North York Moors National Park Landscape Character Assessm ent Decem ber 2003 WHITE YOUNG GREEN ENVIRONMENTAL

North York Moors National Park Authority North York Moors National Park Landscape Character Assessm ent Decem ber 2003 WHITE YOUNG GREEN ENVIRONMENTAL

North York Moors National Park Authority North York Moors National Park Landscape Character Assessm ent Decem ber 2003 WHITE YOUNG GREEN ENVIRONMENTAL

North York Moors National Park Authority North York Moors National Park Landscape Character Assessm ent Decem ber 2003 WHITE YOUNG GREEN ENVIRONMENTAL

North York Moors National Park Authority North York Moors National Park Landscape Character Assessm ent Decem ber 2003 WHITE YOUNG GREEN ENVIRONMENTAL

North York Moors National Park Authority North York Moors National Park Landscape Character Assessm ent Decem ber 2003 WHITE YOUNG GREEN ENVIRONMENTAL

North York Moors National Park Authority North York Moors National Park Landscape Character Assessm ent Decem ber 2003 WHITE YOUNG GREEN ENVIRONMENTAL

North York Moors National Park Authority North York Moors National Park Landscape Character Assessm ent Decem ber 2003 WHITE YOUNG GREEN ENVIRONMENTAL

North York Moors National Park Authority North York Moors National Park Landscape Character Assessm ent Decem ber 2003 WHITE YOUNG GREEN ENVIRONMENTAL

3. Forest

■ Forest Landscape Character Areas

Landscape Character Areas Location

(3a) Cropton

(3b) Langdale/ Harwood Dale/ Newton House

(3c) Dalby

(3d) Wykeham

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3. Forest

■ Key Characteristics: Landscape Type

• Very extensive areas of forested land, overlying deltaic sandstones and mudstones, softer Oxford clay and Osgodby sandstone or Middle and Lower Calcareous Grit from the Corallian Group.

• Sited either within gradually rising upland areas on former moorland or moorland fringe areas, abutting open moorland and falling away towards the limestone escarpment in the south; or on the gently graded limestone plateau which falls away towards the lowland further south.

• The forests fall away steeply at the edge of the north facing scarp or into steep sided dales within the forests or within adjacent character areas, allowing views out from the forests in certain locations.

• Landcover is primarily coniferous forest; some areas planted in regular geometric blocks, separated by a grid iron pattern of unplanted rides and firebreaks, including large areas of recently felled or/and recently planted areas and other areas planted more sympathetically with irregular forms and edges reflecting the underlying topography. Deciduous species have been planted in some fringe areas e.g. adjacent to roads and the forests are and interspersed by isolated pockets of ancient semi natural woodland within steeper areas or within valleys. In some areas there is an abrupt geometric edge to the forest.

• Areas of mainly replanted ancient woodland are present in blocks or linear belts, mainly associated with steeper valley side locations.

• A few farmsteads and areas of remnant farmland occur within openings in the forest. Fields of pasture are divided into a regular pattern of fields by both stone walls and fences.

• The forests are generally accessed by minor roads only or are inaccessible by road.

• Recreational provision within the forests varies; some have extensive provision while others are focused on intensive commercial timber production or research. All forests comprise Open Access land.

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■ Pressures for Change

Table 3A: Negative Pressures for Change Pressures Predicted Consequence of Change to Landscape Feature Degree of Significance for Change Pressure of Pressure to Landscape Character

Recreational Pressures Growth in Increased traffic, parking problem s, bridge and verge damage, footpat h and Low Low visitor bridleway erosion, off road vehicle/motorcycle/mountain bike dam age, numbers damage associated with other outdoor pursuits, disturbance to wildlife Increasing commercialism within villages, tourist related developm ent, Low Low holiday hom es, pressures to increase extent/number of camping/caravanning sites, potential pressure for large scale developm ent Development Pressures Infrastructure Telecom and m obile phone m asts Medium Low pressures Single wind turbines, overhead power and telephone lines Low Low Highway related changes, including road and bridge improvem ent, kerbing, Low Low parking cont rols, signage and lighting Increasing traffic High Medium Developm ent Reduction in tranquillity and solitude Low Low pressures Loss of dark skies Medium Medium generally

Table 3B: Positive Pressures and Opportunities Pressures for Change Predicted Consequence of Change Significance of Pressure to Landscape Character Moves towards increase in native woodland Increased deciduous woodland cover within forest s would be High cover, the reversal of fragmentat ion of exist ing a significant benefit to landscape character, providing woods through replanting, the creation of new diversity and reducing the impact of forestry on surrounding woodlands and improved m anagem ent of landscapes through improvem ent to forest edges and existing woodlands. Also increase in tree cover profiles. . in non-wooded areas. (BAP, NYMMP, Peterken Report, England Forestry Strategy) Move towards multi purpose forestry and m ore Est ablished plantat ions are not being increased in size and High sensitive m anagem ent of forest ed areas (BAP, new plantations unlikely. Cropping offers opportunity for NYMMP, Peterken Report, England Forest ry replacement with broadleaves or return to other habitats Strategy) Move towards gener al habit at improvem ent Habitat improvem ent, diversification and reinstatement, High and reinst atem ent (BAP, English Nature, providing adequate funding and incentives ar e available, DEFRA etc) leading to improved wildlife diversity.

■ Landscape Character Areas

(3a) Cropton

• Very extensive area of forested land forming part of the North Riding Forest Park. The forest overlies deltaic sandstones and mudstones to the west and softer oxford clay and Osgodby sandstone to the east.

• Sited on undulating upland rising to a high point at Brown Howe 267m, Wardle Rigg 262m and Leaf at 290m, and falling away towards the limestone escarpment in the south; the southern edge of the forest rising up the scarp slope and dropping away steeply into Newtondale and Rosedale to the west and east.

• Minor becks flow west into Rosedale and east into Newtondale; small waterfalls are a feature of a number of the becks. Occasional man made ditches occur in the central and southern parts of the forest. Elleron Lake, a man made feature, is situated at the base of the escarpment on the southern edge of the character area.

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• Extensive areas of coniferous woodland, divided into a grid pattern by a network of forest rides, is often fringed by broadleaved trees including oak, birch and ash and interspersed by isolated pockets of ancient semi natural woodland within steeper areas. Scots pine are frequent. In some areas there is an abrupt geometric edge to the forest, particularly where it abuts moorland to the north.

• Pockets of grazing land, divided into a regular pattern of fields by wire fences, occur within the forest; the largest pocket being around the hamlet of . A relatively dense pattern of farmsteads and occasional chapels interspersed by pockets of Scots pine and small pockets of upland heath and enclosed by forest create an unusual and distinctive character.

• The forest is crossed by a single minor road; other roads extend into the forest and stop. The Newtondale Forest Drive, a private road, allows views into Newtondale and the isolated Newtondale Halt on the North York Moors Railway below.

• Recreational provision within the forest includes a camping/caravan site, log cabins, outdoor centre, mountain bike, walking and horse trails, picnic areas and adventure playgrounds, although the facilities have only a very local influence.

• Cawthorn Camp Roman remains are located at the southern edge of the forest on the limestone escarpment -well presented earthworks reveal a camp and two forts situated side by side with panoramic views north across Cropton Forest to the moors beyond.

• Wooden pole electric lines and wire fences detract.

(3b) Langdale/ Harwood Dale

• Three separate areas of intensively managed coniferous forest, generally overlying deltaic mudstone and sandstone with local variations including a large area of Osgodby sandstone at Langdale Forest, and the Cleveland Dyke, cutting through the Newton House Plantation.

• Sited within gradually rising upland areas on former moorland or moorland fringe areas, abutting open moorland, at general elevations of between 180 and 280m; the larger Langdale Forest extends to incorporate steep sided v-shaped valleys which are at 80m AOD in the valley bottom.

• The River Derwent and a number of its tributaries drain Langdale Forest, cutting deeply incised valleys. Minor becks flow through Newton House Plantation, cutting shallow valleys with waterfalls at the forest edge. Both man-made channels and minor becks drain the Harwood Dale Forest.

• Landcover is primarily coniferous forest planted in regular geometric blocks, separated by a grid iron pattern of unplanted rides and firebreaks, including large areas of recently felled or/and recently planted areas. Deciduous species have been planted in some fringe areas e.g. adjacent to roads. Mixed woodland (replanted ancient woodland) is present along Barns Cliff, adjacent to the River Derwent. Other small areas of replanted ancient woodland occur within the east of the Langdale Forest. In some areas there is an abrupt geometric edge to the forest.

• The forests are very inaccessible by public road, access to Langdale Forest being limited to Reasty Road in the far east of the forest; the A171 providing access through the north of the Harwood Dale Forest. There are no roads through Newton House Plantation.

• Apart from isolated properties at High Langdale End and Birch Hall, settlement is almost completely absent from the area.

• Sites of archaeological importance are dotted throughout Langdale and Harwood Dale Forest.

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(3c) Dalby Forest

• A large and diverse area of coniferous and deciduous forest, situated on the Tabular Hills and overlying Middle and Lower Calcareous Grit from the Corallian Group.

• Landform is typical of the Tabular Hills landscape; a gently graded plateau towards the north of the forest (at a maximum height of 240m) falls away towards the Vale of Pickering in the south. The plateau is deeply incised by river valleys with steep sides and occasional clifflines and by shallow dry valleys mainly orientated in a north east to south west direction. The forest extends down the edge of the north facing scarp with its irregular wavelike form, the top edge of which allows views across Langdale Forest to the north.

• The northern and western edges of the character area are bounded by deeply incised watercourses including Dalby Beck, Grain Beck and Crosscliffe Beck. The eastern edge of the area is bounded by a steep sided valley of Troutsdale, within the adjacent Hackness character area. The plateau itself is drained by minor becks that are steeply incised into the plateau edges and follow a winding dendritic pattern; surface drainage is largely absent on the plateau top.

• Two waterbodies are present; a small reservoir at Staindale Water (along the course of Grain Beck) and a waterbody of a similar size along the course of Crosscliffe Beck.

• The extensive forestry includes large area of recently felled and newly planted areas. The forest contains a diverse range of habitats, including sizable blocks and linear belts of deciduous woodland are present particularly within valleys and on steeper slopes. Species present include larch, Scots pine, birch, cherry, ash, rowan and oak. A small area of upland heath – Troutsdale Moor – is included to the east of the character area. Small areas of rough pasture and fen occur. In some areas there is an abrupt geometric edge to the forest.

• Areas of mainly replanted ancient woodland are present in linear belts to the edges of the character area, mainly associated with steeper valley side locations.

• Some areas of remnant farmland occur within openings in the forest. Fields of pasture are divided by both stone walls and fences.

• The public vehicular access to the forest is via Dalby Forest Drive, a toll road, with numerous car parking, picnic areas and other facilities for tourists located along its length, or via Ebberston. Tracks through the woodland, in a loose grid pattern, provide access for forestry vehicles.

• The small hamlet of Low Dalby is the main settlement in the area situated in a narrow opening in the forest in the valley of Dalby Beck. Other settlements are limited to very occasional isolated farms within the open areas.

• The forest is strongly focused on carefully designed recreational provision and has a manicured appearance in places; facilities include picnic areas, orienteering points, car parks, the visitor centre and shop at Low Dalby, an astronomical centre and observatory and footpaths/ habitat trails. Adderstone Field adjacent to the Forest Drive is used for the staging of open air events and concerts. Motor rallies are also held in the forest.

3(d) Wykeham Forest

• A large area of mainly coniferous forest situated on the Tabular Hills and overlying Middle and Lower Calcareous Grit from the Corallian Group.

• Landform is typical of the Tabular Hills landscape; a gently graded plateau towards the north of the forest (at a maximum height of 222m) falls away towards the Vale of Pickering in the south. The forest extends down the edge of the north facing scarp which projects into Troutsdale and the Hackness valley; the top edge of the scarp at Highwood Brow allows views across the Hackness valley area and Langdale Forest to the north.

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• The western, northern and eastern edges of the area are bounded by the steep sided valleys of Troutsdale and Hackness, within the adjacent character area. The plateau itself is drained by minor becks that are steeply incised into the plateau edges; surface drainage is largely absent on the plateau top. Two ponds are present in the Brompton Moor area.

• The forest of pine and other conifers planted in regular blocks in a grid pattern includes areas of recently felled and newly planted areas. An area of mixed plantation is present together with sizable blocks and linear belts of deciduous woodland (including areas of mainly replanted ancient woodland) located mainly within the valleys and on the steeper slopes. In some areas there is an abrupt geometric edge to the forest.

• The forest includes a tree nursery and is a centre for research into alternatives to clear felling. The nurseries feature strongly in the landscape; large cleared areas support regular lines of young trees separated by straight lines of hedging which act as shelterbelts.

• There are a large number of nationally important archaeological sites within the forest including burial mounds and other earthworks, mostly thought to be of Bronze and Iron Age origin.

• A few isolated houses occur towards the edges of the character area amongst small areas of remnant farmland.

• Minor roads access the western part of the forest; the eastern part is less accessible. A network of forest tracks form a rough grid pattern throughout the area and a number of footpaths access the forest.

North York Moors National Park Authority North York Moors National Park Landscape Character Assessment Decem ber 2003

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North York Moors National Park Authority North York Moors National Park Landscape Character Assessm ent Decem ber 2003

WHITE YOUNG GREEN ENVIRONMENTAL

North York Moors National Park Authority North York Moors National Park Landscape Character Assessm ent Decem ber 2003

WHITE YOUNG GREEN ENVIRONMENTAL

North York Moors National Park Authority North York Moors National Park Landscape Character Assessm ent Decem ber 2003

WHITE YOUNG GREEN ENVIRONMENTAL

North York Moors National Park Authority North York Moors National Park Landscape Character Assessm ent Decem ber 2003

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4. Coast and Coastal Hinterland

■ Coast and Coastal Hinterland Landscape Character Areas

Landscape Character Areas Location

(4a) Boulby - Whitby

(4b) Whitby – Cloughton

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4. Coast and Coastal Hinterland

■ Key Characteristics: Landscape Type

• Undulating or rolling coastal and coastal hinterland underlain by Deltaic sandstones and mudstones with soft Lias mudstones and Cleveland ironstones in deeper valleys and on more low lying parts of coast, overlain by deposits of boulder clay which give rise to intensive farming. Elevated areas allow panoramic long distance views.

• Drained by a series of steeply incised and winding minor becks that flow mainly towards the coast. The deep valleys are frequently lined with deciduous woodland, much of which is ancient semi natural woodland, and contrast with the openness of the surrounding farmed landscape.

• Broad bays are interspersed with a rugged indented line of high crumbling or slumping cliffs of sandstone, shale and ironstone topped by boulder clay; the cliffs are of considerable botanical interest with habitats ranging from dry heath and bracken to scrub, woodland and wet flushes. The cliffs are home to variety of nesting seabirds and are renowned for their geological and fossiliferous exposures. Quarries and mines within the cliffs for jet, ironstone and alum add cultural interest. Wide wave cut platforms are feature of the coastline and sand or sand/shingle areas are relatively infrequent. Coastal protection measures have been necessary in a number of locations.

• Inland from the coast, the mainly arable farmland is interspersed with pasture for livestock and forestry plantations. The mostly regular fields of recent enclosure are often intensively farmed and divided by a mixture of closely trimmed hedgerows, neat stone walls of regular bedded sandstone and fences, creating a bleak and open appearance. The hedges and infrequent hedgerow trees are often stunted and wind sculpted.

• Characteristic coastal settlements and fishing villages are crowded into tight cliff foot locations or confined into narrow valleys where they meet the sea. Buildings are often three story, constructed in stone, brick or with a rendered finish, with pantile or slate roofs and houses are accessed by narrow streets or footpaths only. Modern expansion on the adjacent flatter cliff top areas is generally unsympathetic. Visitor facilities concentrated within coastal settlements.

• Inland, settlements are largely traditional, constructed in stone with pantile roofs. Farmsteads are nucleated.

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• Busy main roads in elevated open locations have a significant effect.

■ Pressures for Change

Table 4A: Negative Pressures for Change Pressures Predicted Consequence of Change to Landscape Feature Degree of Significance for Change Pressure of Pressure to Landscape Character

Land Use Changes Agricultural Decline of woodland and wood pasture (due to neglect, changes in High High change management, grazing pressure) including Decline of boundary trees/hedger ow trees/individual trees/ sm all groups of High High econom ic trees (due to neglect, changes in m anagem ent, absence of new planting) pressures on Damage t o geological/geomorphological features (from agricultural Medium Medium farming, operat ions, tree planting, recreation etc) farms going Decline in historic agricultural/ settlem ent features (e. g. ridge and furrow, Medium Medium out of earthworks) due to agricultural intensification, tree planting, recreational business, pressur es etc modernisatio Damage t o archaeological features (agricultural operat ions, recreational Medium Medium n/intensificati pressur es etc) on, changes Introduction of m odern farm buildings, slurry tanks, grain towers etc Medium High t o land t enure, farm Continued intensification of agricultural management especially in arable areas, leading to: diversificatio n, changes in Decline in rough pasture/species rich and wet grasslands in favour of High Medium stocking improved pasture rates Disrepair/loss of dry stone walls High Medium

Replacement of walls and hedges with fencing High High Decline in/neglect/loss of hedgerows High High Decline in wildlife and plant species variet y which contribute significantly to High High landscape character Decline in/ removal of gorse scrub High High Potential for m arginal farm land to revert to unmanaged state, including Low Medium wit hin the undercliff areas. leading to invasion of coarse grasses, bracken and scrub. Coastal Changes to coastline; introduction of coastal defence m easures High High erosion Recreational Pressures Growth in Increased traffic, parking problem s, bridge and verge damage, footpat h and High High visitor bridleway erosion, off road vehicle/motorcycle/mountain bike dam age, numbers damage associated with other outdoor pursuits, disturbance to wildlife Increasing commercialism within villages, tourist related development, Medium High holiday hom es, pressures to increase extent/number of camping/caravanning sites, potential pressure for large scale developm ent Development Pressures Demand for Pressure for small scale settlement expansion inc. infill Medium High residential Cumulat ive effect of changes in the physical fabric of settlem ents, inc. High High and holiday conversion of redundant buildings, closure of shops and schools, homes in the introduction of tourism facilities, creeping suburbanisation and gentrification National of settlem ents, inappropriate planting and loss of specim en trees within Park settlements Infrastructure Telecom and m obile phone m asts Medium High pressures Single wind turbines, overhead power and telephone lines and possible Low High future pressure for offshore windfarms Highway related changes, including road and bridge improvem ent, kerbing, High High parking cont rols, signage and lighting Increasing traffic High High Developm ent Large scale developments occurring beyond the National Park boundar y Medium Low out side which can exert a visual influence e.g. m ajor roads, telecoms masts, wind National farms, transmission lines, etc Park boundary Developm ent Reduction in tranquillity, solitude and wilderness Medium Low pressures Loss of unspoilt character and sense of historic continuity Medium Low generally Loss of dark skies Medium Medium

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Table 4B: Positive Pressures and Opportunities Pressures for Change Predicted Consequence of Change Significance of Pressure to Landscape Character Positive economic pressures inc. increasing More money available to support landscape and High em phasis aw ay from subsidies for production environmental init iat ives and tradit ional agricultural practices, towards subsidies t o support the rural resulting in halting or reversal of decline of traditional econom y and the environm ent e.g. agri practices, loss of habit at and landscape feat ures. environment schemes) and consum er pressure for local production of food, organic food etc Moves towards increase in native woodland Increased tree and woodland cover of scal e envisaged would High cover, the reversal of fragmentat ion of exist ing be a significant benefit t o landscape character, rest oring woods through replanting, the creation of new decline, providing design and siting of woodlands and woodlands and improved m anagem ent of species are sympathetic to landscape character. existing woodlands. Also increase in tree cover Indiscriminate planting could threaten landscape charact er in non-wooded areas. (BAP, NYMMP, Improvement in appearance of, or replacement of, smaller High Peterken Report, England Forestry Strategy) scale coniferous plantations. Cropping offers opportunity for replacement with broadleaves or return to other habitats Move towards multi purpose forestry and m ore Est ablished plantat ions are not being increased in size and High sensitive m anagem ent of forest ed areas (BAP, new plantations unlikely. Cropping offers opportunity for NYMMP, Peterken Report, England Forest ry replacement with broadleaves or return to other habitats Strategy) Move towards gener al habit at improvem ent Habitat improvem ent, diversification and reinstatement, Medium and reinst atem ent (BAP, English Nature, providing adequate funding and incentives ar e available, DEFRA etc) leading to improved wildlife diversity. Abandonment of under cliff for farming Has allowed natural vegetation communities to develop on Medium cliffs Involvem ent of community in production of This m ay help reverse cum ulative changes to sett lement s. Medium village design appraisals and st atem ent s, Developm ent and tourism related pressures Offers opport unities for the restoration of farm buildings, Low houses and other structures of historic significance (e.g. mining remains) that might have otherwise fallen into disrepair

■ Landscape Character Areas

(4a) Boulby – Whitby

• Undulating coastal and coastal hinterland area, becoming more steeply undulating in the north, rising to over 200m close to the edge of Newton Mulgrave Moor; the area is underlain by Deltaic sandstones and mudstones with soft Lias mudstones and Cleveland ironstones in deeper valleys and on more low lying parts of coast and overlain by deposits of boulder clay which give rise to intensive farming. The Runswick fault line runs south from Runswick Bay. Coastal areas are designated as part of the North Yorkshire and Cleveland Heritage Coast.

• Spectacular irregular indented line of crumbling cliffs of sandstone, shale and ironstone, towering to a maximum height of 210m at Boulby Cliff, the highest sea cliff on the east coast of England. The upper cliff is composed as massive sandstones while below upper and middle Lias is exposed with the lower Lias forming the base of the cliff. The horizontal layers of strata are clearly visible with the more resistant beds forming small ledges in the cliff face.

• Elevated areas allow long distance views across the area and out to sea.

• The cliffs are of considerable botanical interest with habitats ranging from dry heath and bracken, to scrub, woodland and wet flushes. The cliffs are home to variety of nesting seabirds and are renowned for their geological and fossiliferous exposures.

• Wide wave cut platforms are feature of the coastline and sand or sand/shingle areas are relatively infrequent. Coastal protection measures have been necessary in a number of locations.

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• The area is drained by a series of steeply incised and winding minor becks that flow towards the coast, or in the north west towards the edge of the National Park. The densely wooded valleys contrast sharply with the openness of the farmed landscape. The becks frequently occur in pairs, following close and parallel courses with occasional waterfalls.

• The deep valleys are densely wooded with mainly deciduous linear woodland, much of which is ancient semi natural woodland. Extensive deciduous woodlands occur at Mulgrave, Easington and Roxby Woods.

• Inland from the coast, the mixed farmland is interspersed with pasture for livestock and occasional generally small plantations. Regular fields of recent enclosure predominate near the coast, divided by a mixture of fences or closely trimmed hedgerows, often thin, gappy and windblown with very occasional trees, creating a bleak and open appearance. In some areas field boundaries have been removed. In the south east of the area, south of the A174, fields become smaller in size and slightly less regular in shape. Around a number of settlements a pattern of historic strip fields remains. Small patches of scrub, bracken and upland heath/ bracken also occur.

• Staithes and Runswick Bay are focal points for visitors to the area; at Runswick Bay a cluster of red roofed buildings are perched one above the other at the foot of the cliffs overlooking a broad bay, whilst at Staithes the village and small fishing harbour is confined to a narrow valley and a into a breach in the cliffs. Each village has extended onto the flatter land at the cliff top to include more recent development that bears little relation to the historic settlement cores.

• Villages on the A174 including Easington and have been extended to incorporate modern development. Elsewhere, small traditional villages constructed in stone with pantile roofs are set amongst the rolling farmland. Port Mulgrave is an unusual former mining settlement of terraced cottages sited on a cliff top.

• The busy A174 runs though the character area, frequently sited on ridgelines or in very open locations where it has a significant effect on the area. Elsewhere a network of B roads and winding minor lanes link settlements. A number of the minor roads include very steep ascents, particularly at the coast and within steeper inland areas.

• Mulgrave Castle, a Grade II* listed garden laid out in the late 18th and early 19th century occupies a 350ha site encompassing the woodland within the steep parallel valleys of Sandsend Beck and East Row Beck. The castle stands on a ridge against the backdrop of trees.

• The tall chimneys and structures of Boulby Potash Mine, the deepest mine in Britain, dominate the northern part of the character area.

• The effects of alum mining between the 17th and 19th centuries have dramatically altered headlands at Sandsend Ness, Kettleness and Saltwick Nab. Jet working has occurred along the length of the cliffs; caves known as hob holes occur where jet was dug from the cliffs, e.g. at Runswick Bay. Ironstone mining has occurred in the cliffs south east and west of Staithes.

• Recreational features include Scaling Dam with its associated sailing club and the sailing club at Runswick Bay. The Cleveland Way Walk follows the cliff line. Camping and caravan sites and car parks occur in coastal areas.

• Detractors include the mast north of Easington, Boulby Mine, modern development on the edges of historic settlements, Scaling Dam and Lockwood Beck Reservoirs and overhead utilities lines. The traffic associated with the A174 also detracts considerably from the area. The loss of field boundaries has also detracted from the area.

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(4b) Whitby – Cloughton

• Rolling coastal and coastal hinterland area, rising to a height of 233m on Howdale Moor, underlain by Deltaic sandstones and mudstones with soft Lias mudstones and Cleveland ironstones in deeper valleys and on more low lying parts of coast overlain by deposits of boulder clay which give rise to intensive farming. Coastal areas are designated as part of the North Yorkshire and Cleveland Heritage Coast,

• In the south the area is defined mainly by the moorland edge or the edge of Harwood Dale Forest to the east, the moorland overshadowing the area and creating pinch points to the east of Robin Hoods Bay and at Stoupe Brow, where it extends to within 500m of the coast.

• Elevated areas allow long distance views across the area and out to sea.

• Spectacular and rugged crumbling cliffs of sandstone, shale, limestone and ironstone, towering to a maximum height of 150m at Ravenscar, have been affected by collapses on a large scale, which in places has resulted in a broad undercliff resting on the harder rocks below.

• Wide wave cut platforms are feature of the coastline and sand or sand/shingle areas are relatively infrequent. The cliffs and foreshore at Robin Hoods Bay expose Redcar mudstone, the beds of which sweep round the bay in a broad arc. Coastal protection measures are necessary in a number of locations.

• The cliffs are of considerable botanical interest with habitats ranging from dry heath and bracken, to scrub, woodland and wet flushes. Herb rich grassland covers the open crags. The cliffs are home to variety of nesting seabirds including Fulmar, Herring Gull, Kittiwake and Cormorant and are renowned for their geological and fossiliferous exposures.

• The areas is drained by a series of steeply incised and winding minor becks which flow towards the coast, or in the north towards the River Esk. Waterfalls occur along the becks and sometimes where the becks meet the sea, e.g. at Hayburn Wyke. The steep valley sides are frequently lined with deciduous woodland, much of which is ancient semi natural woodland.

• Inland from the coast, mixed arable and pasture farmland (for cattle, sheep and horses) is interspersed by plantations, shelterbelts and mainly Victorian farmhouses, marked by groups of trees. Close to the character area’s inland edge, a number of medium sized mixed and coniferous plantations have been established, e.g. Haxby Plantation at Sneaton and on the side of Cloughton Moor. Small areas of scrub and upland moor/bracken mosaic occur.

• Regular fields of recent enclosure are divided by a mixture of closely trimmed hedgerows, neat stone walls of regular bedded sandstone and fences, with occasional trees, often stunted and wind blown, creating a bleak and open appearance. Elsewhere, the wooded valleys and settlements are flanked by small and irregular fields and a higher proportion of mature hedgerows that lend a sense of time depth to the area. A distinctive pattern of strip fields occurs to the north of Robin Hoods Bay.

• Robin Hoods Bay is a focal point for visitors to the area; the cluster of red roofed buildings perched one above the other, with a labyrinth of passageways and steps are crowded into a breach in the cliffs. The upper parts of the village has a mixture of red brick Victorian houses and more recent development.

• At Raven Hall, the remains of an early speculative venture to promote the area as a seaside resort has resulted in a pattern of streets and a few houses which surround a square within the open cliff top location. A cliff top hotel is a prominent feature here.

• The busy A171 crosses part of the character area, frequently in an elevated and open location and has a significant intrusive effect on the area. Elsewhere a network of B roads and winding minor lanes link settlements.

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• A disused railway between Scarborough and Whitby, now a cycle track, runs close to the coast and the Cleveland Way follows the cliff top. Camping and caravan sites, car parks and equestrian centres are numerous.

• Old brickworks, jet and alum quarries within the cliffs, now partly concealed by vegetation, add cultural interest to the area, including the remains of the Peak Alum Works at Ravenscar.

• Ancient remains include Bronze Age barrows and cairns, often in large clusters, and Iron Age cross ridge dykes.

• Detractors include masts south of Whitby and at Ravenscar, the traffic associated with the A171, the overhead electric line supported on pylons to the north of Sneaton, scattered modern suburban style development and prominently sited caravan sites. The loss of field boundaries has also detracted from the area.

North York Moors National Park Authority North York Moors National Park Landscape Character Assessment Decem ber 2003

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North York Moors National Park Authority North York Moors National Park Landscape Character Assessm ent Decem ber 2003

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North York Moors National Park Authority North York Moors National Park Landscape Character Assessm ent Decem ber 2003

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5. Limestone Hills

■ Limestone Hills Landscape Character Areas

Landscape Character Areas Location

(5a) Southern Hambleton /Tabular Hills

(5b) Tabular Hills

(5c) Southern Dales and Southern Moor Foot

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5. Limestone Hills

■ Key Characteristics: Landscape Type

• Smoothly contoured plateau landscape underlain by Corallian limestones and sandstones rising at a shallow angle to prominent and impressive escarpments with conspicuous flat tops, deeply dissected and divided by a series of densely wooded dales, a number of which are thought to have their origins as glacial overflow channels.

• Surface drainage is almost entirely absent from the plateau top. The dip slopes are drained by distinctive, narrow, linear and slightly winding densely wooded shallow valleys, that are distinct from the deeper valleys that dissect the plateau, generally planted with mixed or coniferous woodland. Some of the valleys contain surface watercourses and some are dry.

• The area supports a mixture of arable and pasture farming for sheep and cattle; the presence of grasslands increasing nearer to settlement. Fields of medium to large size and regular shape are intermixed with areas of medium sized fields in a strip pattern and smaller strip fields close to settlements. Fields are bounded by wire fences or closely trimmed or overgrown hedges with very occasional hedgerow trees or are unbounded. Occasionally, walls are present.

• The largely open elevated landscape allows extensive long distance views, sometimes broken by often regularly shaped plantations (mainly coniferous), concentrated on the higher land; shelterbelts are common but deciduous woodland is scarce on the plateau top. Small pockets of semi natural ancient woodland occur amongst the plantations within shallow dip slope valleys.

• The plateau is dissected and divided by a series of deeply incised valleys (distinct from the shallower valleys of the dip slope in that they each contain a beck or river), narrowing in their lower reaches to the south and widening in their upper reaches to include an unusual narrow strip of low lying land overlying Oxford Clays and Kellaways Rocks where the north facing scarp slope meets the foot or lower lying slopes of the moors. This is a small scale, intimate and secluded landscape, enclosed by the elevated moorland to the north, the wooded scarp slope and the densely wooded valley sides. The contrast between this enclosed landscape and the openness of the surrounding plateau and moorland is marked.

• The valleys are very narrow and twisting with meandering rivers and steep indented side slopes, sometimes with minor cliffs. Landcover serves to emphasise the landform, the steep slopes wooded with a mixture of broadleaved woodland and coniferous and mixed plantations; linear

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ancient woodland clothes a high proportion of the valley sides. The valleys have significant geological and nature conservation interest.

• Traditional settlements constructed in mostly in limestone with pantile or sometimes slate roofs are located on the scarp top, or occasionally at the scarp foot, often grouped about a green. Springline settlements sited on the lower dip slope are generally linear in form. Large farmsteads constructed in stone with pantile roofs and numerous outbuildings including modern farm sheds, marked by groups of trees.

■ Pressures for Change

Table 5A: Negative Pressures for Change Pressures Predicted Consequence of Change to Landscape Feature Degree of Significance for Change Pressure of Pressure to Landscape Character

Land Use Changes Agricultural Decline of woodland and wood pasture (due to neglect, changes in High High change management, grazing pressure) including Decline of boundary trees/hedger ow trees/individual trees/ sm all groups of High High econom ic trees (due to neglect, changes in m anagem ent, absence of new planting) pressures on Damage t o geological/geomorphological features (from agricultural Low Medium farming, operat ions, tree planting, recreation etc) farms going Decline in historic agricultural/ settlem ent features (e. g. ridge and furrow, Medium Medium out of earthworks) due to agricultural intensification, tree planting, recreational business, pressur es etc modernisatio Damage t o archaeological features (agricultural operat ions, recreational Medium Medium n/intensificati pressur es etc) on, changes Introduction of m odern farm buildings, slurry tanks, grain towers etc Medium High t o land t enure, farm Continued intensification of agricultural management especially in arable areas, leading to: diversificatio Decline in rough pasture/species rich and wet grasslands in favour of High Low n, changes in improved pasture stocking Disrepair/loss of dry stone walls High Low rates Replacement of walls and hedges with fencing High Low

Further erosion of char acteristic strip field patterns High High Decline in/neglect/loss of hedgerows High High Decline in wildlife and plant species variet y which contribute significantly to High High landscape character Recreational Pressures Growth in Increased traffic, parking problem s, bridge and verge damage, footpat h and High High visitor bridleway erosion, off road vehicle/motorcycle/mountain bike dam age, numbers damage associated with other outdoor pursuits, disturbance to wildlife Increasing commercialism within villages, tourist related developm ent, Medium High holiday hom es, pressures to increase extent/number of camping/caravanning sites, potential pressure for large scale developm ent Development Pressures Demand for Pressure for small scale settlement expansion inc. infill Medium Medium residential Cumulat ive effect of changes in the physical fabric of settlem ents, inc. High High and holiday conversion of redundant buildings, closure of shops and schools, homes in the introduction of tourism facilities, creeping suburbanisation and gentrification National of settlem ents, inappropriate planting and loss of specim en trees within Park settlements Infrastructure Telecom and m obile phone m asts Medium High pressures Single wind turbines, overhead power and telephone lines Low High Highway related changes, including road and bridge improvem ent, kerbing, High High parking cont rols, signage and lighting Increasing traffic High High Developm ent Large scale developments occurring beyond the National Park boundar y Medium Low out side which can exert a visual influence e.g. m ajor roads, telecoms masts, wind National farms, transmission lines, etc Park boundary Developm ent Reduction in tranquillity, solitude and wilderness Medium Low pressures Loss of unspoilt character and sense of historic continuity Medium Low generally Loss of dark skies Medium Medium

North York Moors National Park Authority North York Moors National Park Landscape Character Assessment Decem ber 2003

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Table 5B: Positive Pressures and Opportunities Pressures for Change Predicted Consequence of Change Significance of Pressure to Landscape Character Positive economic pressures inc. increasing More money available to support landscape and Medium em phasis aw ay from subsidies for production environmental init iat ives and tradit ional agricultural practices, towards subsidies t o support the rural resulting in halting or reversal of decline of traditional econom y and the environm ent e.g. agri practices, loss of habit at and landscape feat ures. environment schemes) and consumer pressure for local production of food, organic food etc Moves towards increase in native woodland Increased tree and woodland cover of scal e envisaged would High cover, the reversal of fragmentat ion of exist ing be a significant benefit t o landscape character, rest oring woods through replanting, the creation of new decline, providing design and siting of woodlands and woodlands and improved m anagem ent of species are sympathetic to landscape character. existing woodlands. Also increase in tree cover Indiscriminate planting could threaten landscape charact er in non-wooded areas. (BAP, NYMMP, Improvement in appearance of, or replacement of, smaller High Peterken Report, England Forestry Strategy) scale coniferous plantations. Cropping offers opportunity for replacement with broadleaves or return to other habitats Move towards multi purpose forestry and m ore Est ablished plantat ions are not being increased in size and High sensitive m anagem ent of forest ed areas (BAP, new plantations unlikely. Cropping offers opportunity for NYMMP, Peterken Report, England Forest ry replacement with broadleaves or return to other habitats Strategy) Move towards gener al habit at improvem ent Habitat improvem ent, diversification and reinstatement, Medium and reinst atem ent (BAP, English Nature, providing adequate funding and incentives ar e available, DEFRA etc) leading to improved wildlife diversity. Involvem ent of community in production of This m ay help reverse cum ulative changes to sett lement s. Medium village design appraisals and st atem ent s, Developm ent and tourism related pressures Offers opport unities for the restoration of farm buildings, Low houses and other structures of historic significance (e.g. mining remains) that might have otherwise fallen into disrepair

■ Landscape Character Areas

(5a) Southern Hambleton Hills/Tabular Hills

• The Southern Hambleton Hills rise at a very shallow angle from Ryedale to form a western facing escarpment 300m in height in the west of the National Park. Smoothly contoured with a conspicuous flat top, a key feature of the plateau is the extensive elevated long distance views across the moors and the densely wooded dales to the north and north west, and intermittent views between gaps in forestry plantations from the escarpment top to the west and south across the Vale of York and to the south across the Vale of Pickering.

• The hills are underlain by Corallian Limestones and sandstones; surface drainage is almost entirely absent.

• A large scale landscape, very large regularly shaped fields of predominantly arable farmland are bounded by wire fences or closely trimmed or overgrown hedges with very occasional hedgerow trees or are unbounded. Limestone walls are often are present. Small strip fields of pasture occur close to settlements.

• In the southern part of the area, views are broken by large coniferous plantations, plus occasional smaller mixed plantations, often with fringing birch and occasional areas of bracken. Areas of upland heath/grass mosaic are present to the west and areas of scrub on the plateau edge to the south.

• Deciduous woodland is almost absent from the plateau top; very small areas occur at the edges of the character area, including an area of ancient replanted woodland at Mason Gill.

• Traditional settlements include , with houses set back from a wide grassy tree lined road verge, Old Byland, set about a small green, and the clustered settlement of .

North York Moors National Park Authority North York Moors National Park Landscape Character Assessment Decem ber 2003

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Ampleforth, situated on the springline on the southern edge of the character and of the National park, is the only linear settlement.

• Large farmsteads constructed in stone with pantile roofs and numerous outbuildings including modern farm sheds, marked by groups of trees.

• The area is crossed by the busy A170 between and Scarborough. Minor roads are generally straight and often bounded by wide grass verges.

• Recreational features include the gliding club at the top of Sutton Bank, the Cleveland Way, which runs along the edge of the character area and crosses it to the south, the National Park Visitors Centre and associated car park and picnic site at the top of Sutton Bank and a campsite near .

• The Cleave Dyke and associated features including round barrows and a hill fort sited at the top of the scarp slope are features of national archaeological importance.

• Detractors include overhead electric lines, the mast to the west of Cold Kirby, the blocky form of the coniferous plantations, the A170 and modern farm buildings. The mast at the head of Bilsdale also exerts an influence over the northern part of the area.

(5b) Tabular Hills

• The Tabular Hills rise at a shallow angle from a low point of about 30m AOD in the Vale of Pickering to a prominent and impressive north-facing escarpment (at a maximum of 300m AOD) with a conspicuous flat top a series of distinctive nabs or promontories overlooking the central moorland.

• The escarpment is dissected and divided by a series of deep densely wooded dales tha t fall from north to south through the hills, including Riccal Dale, Kirkdale, Douthwaite Dale, Lower Rosedale, Newtondale, Lower Derwent and Forge Valley, a number of which are thought to have their origins as glacial overflow channels.

• The character area is geographically complex, fragmented by the dales and as a result of the extensive afforestation in the east of the National Park which has subsumed much of the plateau, leaving small areas of open plateau as isolated remnants. Moorland occasionally extends onto the plateau top and in these areas the plateau top and scarp form part of the adjacent character area.

• The more elevated and open parts of the character area allow expansive views to the south across the Vale of Pickering and, particularly from the scarp top, across the moors to the north.

• The dip slope is underlain by limestones and calcareous grits and slopes gently south to the Vale of Pickering, The slopes are shallow at higher elevations becoming slightly steeper towards the foot of the slope near the A170. Only certain parts of the dip slope are included within the National Park.

• The dip slope is drained by a number of distinctive, narrow and slightly winding densely wooded valleys, some of which have surface watercourses and some of which are dry. Surface drainage is virtually absent from the plateau top. These features are similar in character but smaller in scale than the valleys that subdivide the plateau (described at 5c).

• Key features of the area include sizable areas of medium sized fields in a strip pattern and smaller strip fields close to settlements. The historic field patterns are intermixed with areas of medium to large sized regularly shaped fields. Fields are bounded by wire fences or closely trimmed or overgrown hedges with very occasional hedgerow trees or are unbounded. Occasionally, walls are present.

North York Moors National Park Authority North York Moors National Park Landscape Character Assessment Decem ber 2003

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• The area supports a mixture of arable and pasture farming for sheep and cattle although the presence of grasslands increases nearer to settlements.

• Small areas of bracken and rough grassland, an area of upland heath/grassland mosaic, an area of rough grazing near Spaunton Quarry, and bracken, scrub and upland/ heath bracken mosaics at Bridestones provide limited habitat variety.

• Views are broken by large often regularly shaped plantations (mainly coniferous), concentrated on the on the elevated parts of the western hills; in the east plantations are smaller or are absent. The linear wooded valleys that drain the plateau are generally planted with mixed or coniferous woodland (often replanted ancient woodland). Shelterbelts are common but deciduous woodland is scarce on the plateau top, although small pockets of semi-natural ancient woodland occur within the valleys.

• Towards the east of the Tabular Hills, character is influenced by the extensive forested areas at Cropton, Dalby and Wykeham which abut the area and partly enclose it in areas where the forests extend onto the hills. .

• Settlements are numerous, including plateau top settlements e.g. Carlton, , , Appleton-le-Moors, Spaunton, Newton-on-Rawcliffe, , Lockton, and , and dip slope foot settlements such as Helmsley, Thornton le Dale, Hutton Buscel and West Ayton, many of which have a linear form. The settlements display a mix of building types including sandstone, limestone and occasionally brick with pantile or slate used for the roofs.

• Medium to large farmsteads constructed in stone with pantile roofs and numerous outbuildings including modern farm sheds are marked by groups of trees.

• The busy A170 between Thirsk and Scarborough runs along the southern edge of the dip slope, generally coinciding with the National Park boundary. The A169 Pickering to Whitby road and the B1257 also cross part of the area. Elsewhere the plateau is crossed by relatively straight, minor roads mostly orientated in a north – south direction, a number of which stop at the edge of the escarpment.

• Historic features include the dykes in the Lockton area, round barrow and cairns and the medieval grange of Griff.

• Detractors include Spaunton Quarry (although only visible at close range), the A170 and A169 roads, overhead electric lines (supported on pylons and poles) and modern farm buildings.

(5c) Southern Dales and Southern Moor Foot

• A series of very distinctive river valleys deeply incised through the limestones and calcareous grits of the Tabular Hills plateau, narrowing in their lower reaches to the south and widening in the north to include an unusual narrow strip of low lying land overlying Oxford Clays and Kellaways Rocks where the north facing scarp slope meets the foot or lower lying slopes of the moors.

• A small scale, intimate and secluded landscape, enclosed by the elevated moorland to the north, the wooded scarp slope and the densely wooded valley sides, allowing no views beyond the character area boundary. The contrast between this landscape and the openness of the surrounding plateau and moorland is marked.

• The projecting promontories of the scarp slope overlook and dominate the northern part of the character area. The grits on the scarp edge support forestry or scrubland except where the land has been improved. The profile of the scarp shows clearly the rock character, the lower slopes brown sandstone (Kellaways rock), the concave slope Oxf ord clay, the crest lower Corallian series (alternate limestone and sandstone).

North York Moors National Park Authority North York Moors National Park Landscape Character Assessment Decem ber 2003

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• The five valleys are drained north to south by the , Hodge Beck, the River Dove, Hutton Beck and the River Seven. Hodge Beck and the Rivers Dove and Seven having their source within the much larger moorland dales Bransdale, Farndale and Rosedale to the north, each of which is screened from view by their very narrow dale entrances. The River Riccal and Hutton Beck have their source on the moors. Some of the moor foot areas have artificial drainage patterns.

• The valleys are very narrow and twisting with meandering rivers and steep indented side slopes, sometimes with minor cliffs. Landcover serves to emphasise the landform, the steep slopes wooded with a mixture of broadleaved woodland and coniferous and mixed plantations. In the lower reaches, Riccal Dale is almost continuously wooded with a mixture of semi-natural and replanted ancient woodland; in the other dales sinuous, linear ancient woodland clothes much of the valley sides. Small areas of scrub, bracken or upland heath/bracken mosaic are present on the valley side.

• The valleys have significant geological and nature conservation interest, with a number of protected habitats, including oak/wych elm/ash/birch woodland on steep slopes, mosaic woodland, neutral grassland and fen; unimproved neutral grasslands, calcareous flush communities and calcareous pastures.

• In the broader upper valleys and at the moor foot limited areas of farmland are present, the majority pasture, enclosed by often mature hedgerows containing hedgerow trees or walls. Fields are a mixture of small scale historic patterns, either in strips close to settlements or very irregular in shape, with some of regular shape dating from the enclosure period. In these areas small broadleaved woodlands are also present and blocks of coniferous plantation are frequent, particularly in the west. To the far east, the southern edge of Cropton Forest encloses the northern side of the character area.

• Traditional limestone villages, including and Hutton-le-Hole are set along the moor foot, the latter village being a focal point for visitors, with a visitor centre, car parks, small shops and the Ryedale Folk Museum. Houses of mellow grey stone with red tiled roofs are grouped around a large green that extends the length of the village and is grazed by freely roaming sheep. The beck flows down the centre of the green spanned by a series of bridges. Settlement elsewhere is limited to scattered farms within the upper dale, the lower dales being almost unsettled.

• The moor foot areas serve as an east-west route for minor lanes linking the villages, although the western valleys are more isolated and accessed only from the plateau top. The valleys themselves are generally too narrow to serve as communications routes although a road extends south from Hutton-le-Hole along the upper valley sides. A dense network of footpaths exists within the valleys.

North York Moors National Park Authority North York Moors National Park Landscape Character Assessment Decem ber 2003

WHITE YOUNG GREEN ENVIRONMENTAL

North York Moors National Park Authority North York Moors National Park Landscape Character Assessm ent Decem ber 2003

WHITE YOUNG GREEN ENVIRONMENTAL

North York Moors National Park Authority North York Moors National Park Landscape Character Assessm ent Decem ber 2003

WHITE YOUNG GREEN ENVIRONMENTAL

North York Moors National Park Authority North York Moors National Park Landscape Character Assessm ent Decem ber 2003

WHITE YOUNG GREEN ENVIRONMENTAL

6. Narrow Glacial Channel and Griffs

■ Narrow Glacial Channel and Griffs Landscape Character Areas

Landscape Character Areas Location

(6a) Newtondale and Hole of Horcum

(6b) Forge Valley

North York Moors National Park Authority North York Moors National Park Landscape Character Assessm ent Decem ber 2003

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6. Narrow Glacial Channel and Griffs

■ Key Characteristics:

• Narrow steep sided valleys with a narrow flat valley floor cut through the sandstones of the moors and the limestones and calcareous grits of the Tabular Hills in a north south direction. The valley profiles vary between a steep u-shape and a steep v-shape.

• The valleys, unique in character within the Park, are thought to have been cut as glacial meltwater channels. The upper valley sides are marked by sometimes impressive cliffs. The small becks are out of scale with their valleys, and follow a sinuous hidden tree lined course.

• The valley sides are mostly clothed in a mixture of deciduous woodland or mixed or coniferous plantation. The majority of deciduous woodland comprises semi natural or replanted ancient woodland. Where the upper dale is included in the character type it is more open and clothed mostly with bracken, with occasional patches of heather, upland grass moor and scrub.

• The valley floors support a mixture of natural deciduous woodland (including alder, willow, birch, ash, oak, rowan, rose, hazel, blackthorn, hawthorn), wetland species, and in some areas rough grassland and areas of cut over plantation that have been replanted with deciduous species and are becoming colonised by naturally regenenerating birch. Very occasionally, narrow areas of fenced flat pasture for sheep and cattle occur.

• Occasional small settlements and farms and houses are present; elsewhere settlement is largely absent.

• The well-wooded deep valleys create a strong sense of enclosure and contain the majority of views. ■ Pressures for Change

Table 6A: Negative Pressures for Change Pressures Predicted Consequence of Change to Landscape Feature Degree of Significance for Change Pressure of Pressure to Landscape Character

North York Moors National Park Authority North York Moors National Park Landscape Character Assessment Decem ber 2003

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Land Use Changes Agricultural Decline of woodland and wood pasture (due to neglect, changes in High High change management, grazing pressure) including Damage t o geological/geomorphological features (from agricultural Low Medium econom ic operat ions, tree planting, recreation etc) pressures on Damage t o archaeological features (agricultural operat ions, recreational Medium Medium farming, pressur es etc) farms going Decline in wildlife and plant species variet y which contribute significantly to High High out of landscape character business, Potential for m arginal farm land to revert to unmanaged state, leading to Medium Medium modernisatio invasion of coarse grasses, bracken and scrub. n/intensificati on, changes t o land t enure, farm diversificatio n, changes in stocking rates

Recreational Pressures Growth in Increased traffic, parking problem s, bridge and verge damage, footpat h and High High visitor bridleway erosion, off road vehicle/motorcycle/mountain bike dam age, numbers damage associated with other outdoor pursuits, disturbance to wildlife Increasing commercialism within villages, tourist related development, Medium High holiday hom es, pressures to increase extent/number of camping/caravanning sites, potential pressure for large scale developm ent Development Pressures Demand for Pressure for small scale settlement expansion inc. infill Medium High residential Cumulat ive effect of changes in the physical fabric of settlem ents, inc. High High and holiday conversion of redundant buildings, closure of shops and schools, homes in the introduction of tourism facilities, creeping suburbanisation and gentrification National of settlem ents, inappropriate planting and loss of specim en trees within Park settlements Infrastructure Telecom and m obile phone m asts Medium Medium pressures Single wind turbines, overhead power and telephone lines Low Medium Highway related changes, including road and bridge improvem ent, kerbing, High High parking cont rols, signage and lighting Increasing traffic High High Developm ent Reduction in tranquillity, solitude and wilderness Medium Medium pressures Loss of unspoilt character and sense of historic continuity Medium Medium generally Loss of dark skies Medium Medium

Table 6B: Positive Pressures and Opportunities Pressures for Change Predicted Consequence of Change Significance of Pressure to Landscape Character Positive economic pressures inc. increasing More money available to support landscape and High em phasis aw ay from subsidies for production environmental init iat ives and tradit ional agricultural practices, towards subsidies t o support the rural resulting in halting or reversal of decline of traditional econom y and the environm ent eg agri practices, loss of habit at and landscape feat ures. environment schemes) and consum er pressure for local production of food, organic food etc Moves towards increase in native woodland Increased tree and woodland cover of scal e envisaged would High cover, the reversal of fragmentat ion of exist ing be a significant benefit t o landscape character, rest oring woods through replanting, the creation of new decline, providing design and siting of woodlands and woodlands and improved m anagem ent of species are sympathetic to landscape character. existing woodlands. Also increase in tree cover Indiscriminate planting could threaten landscape charact er in non-wooded areas. (BAP, NYMMP, Improvement in appearance of, or replacement of, smaller High Peterken Report, England Forestry Strategy) scale coniferous plantations. Cropping offers opportunity for replacement with broadleaves or return to other habitats Move towards multi purpose forestry and m ore Est ablished plantat ions are not being increased in size and High sensitive m anagem ent of forest ed areas (BAP, new plantations unlikely. Cropping offers opportunity for NYMMP, Peterken Report, England Forest ry replacement with broadleaves or return to other habitats Strategy) Move towards gener al habit at improvem ent Habitat improvem ent, diversification and reinstatement, High and reinst atem ent (BAP, English Nature, providing adequate funding and incentives ar e available, DEFRA etc) leading to improved wildlife diversity. Involvem ent of community in production of This m ay help reverse cum ulative changes to sett lement s. Medium village design appraisals and st atem ent s,

North York Moors National Park Authority North York Moors National Park Landscape Character Assessment Decem ber 2003

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Developm ent and tourism related pressures Offers opport unities for the restoration of farm buildings, Low houses and other structures of historic significance (e.g. mining remains) that might have otherwise fallen into disrepair

■ Landscape Character Areas

(6a) Newtondale and Hole of Horcum

• Narrow steep sided valley with a narrow flat valley floor cut through the sandstones of the moors and the limestones and calcareous grits of the Tabular Hills in a north south direction. The valley profile varies between a steep u-shape to a v-shape.

• The dale, unique in character within the Park, is thought to have been cut as a glacial meltwater channel to drain a glacial lake and ice sheet in the Esk valley, is considered to be one of the best examples of its type in the country. The majority of the dale and the Hole of Horcum are protected as an SSSI.

• The dale is joined by a well defined v-shaped tributary valley drained by Levisham Beck, which in its upper reaches has formed the large and dramatic deep depression known as the Hole of Horcum, the result of a process of spring sapping.

• The valley sides are mostly clothed in a mixture of deciduous woodland, mixed and coniferous plantation, the western sides of the upper dale forming part of the North Riding Forest Park. Most of the woodland in the lower dale and smaller areas in the upper dale comprise semi natural or replanted ancient woodland. The upper dale is more open and clothed mostly with bracken, with occasional patches of heather, upland grass moor and scrub; the eastern dale sides occasionally open up between the trees to reveal the steeply indented and rounded landform of the valley sides.

• The valley floor supports a mixture of natural deciduous woodland (including alder, willow, birch, ash, oak, rowan, rose, hazel, blackthorn, hawthorn), wetland species, rough grassland and areas of cut over plantation that have been replanted with deciduous species and are becoming colonised by naturally regenenerating birch. Occasional narrow areas of fenced flat pasture for sheep and cattle occur. Where the tree cover is more open wildflowers including meadowsweet are present in abundance on the valley floor.

• The small beck, which is out of scale with the grandeur of the valley, follows a sinuous tree lined course in places framed by sheer cliffs (often associated with tree cover) situated on the upper valley side.

• Settlement is almost entirely absent from Newtondale although there are occasional isolated farms and houses. Settlements are a feature of the valley of Levisham Beck, Lockton being situated on the upper dale side facing the settlement of Levisham on the opposite valley side just beyond the character area boundary.

• The North Yorkshire Moors Steam Railway is a key feature of the dale, running along its length, the steam trains visible by their plume of smoke. Carefully conserved railway stations and trackside features contribute significantly to the character of the dale.

• Roads are almost entirely absent; where present they cross the valley or access its stations. The Newtondale Horse Trail follows the lower reaches of the dale before climbing onto the upland.

• The well-wooded deep valley creates a strong sense of enclosure and contains the majority of views; views out are limited to occasional glimpses of the moor tops.

North York Moors National Park Authority North York Moors National Park Landscape Character Assessment Decem ber 2003

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(6b) Forge Valley

• Narrow very steep sided valley with a very narrow flat valley floor, cut during glacial times by water overflowing from a lake ponded up in the Hackness Valley. The valley cuts through the limestones and calcareous grits of the Tabular Hills in a north south direction.

• The small beck, which is out of scale with the valley, follows a sinuous wooded course; in places cliffs and small quarries are hidden amongst the trees on the upper valley side. The valley contains several well developed tufa springs.

• Woodlands that line the valley side include significant areas of broadleaved ancient woodland (although much of it is replanted), the woodlands in the Forge Valley representing some of the best examples of mixed deciduous woodland in north east England. Areas of wet woodland occupy the valley floor and ground flora includes sedges and yellow flag. Species vary between willow and alder in the valley bottom, to ash and wych elm on the middle slopes with oak, rowan and holly on the upper slopes. The majority of the valley is protected as an SSSI.

• The wooded valley sides create enclosure and limit opportunities for views out of the valley contributing to a strong sense of place. In the lower reaches the valley opens out to include areas of pasture. Small areas of calcareous grassland are associated with limestone outcrops in the south east end of the valley

• Settlement is absent form the Forge Valley. Recreational features include popular footpaths, small car parks and picnic areas.

• The Mowthorp Road runs along the valley bottom, detracting from the valley.

North York Moors National Park Authority North York Moors National Park Landscape Character Assessment Decem ber 2003

WHITE YOUNG GREEN ENVIRONMENTAL

North York Moors National Park Authority North York Moors National Park Landscape Character Assessm ent Decem ber 2003

WHITE YOUNG GREEN ENVIRONMENTAL

North York Moors National Park Authority North York Moors National Park Landscape Character Assessm ent Decem ber 2003

WHITE YOUNG GREEN ENVIRONMENTAL

7. Limestone Dale

■ Limestone Dale Landscape Character Areas

Landscape Character Areas Location

(7a) Hackness

(7b) Upper Harwood Dale

North York Moors National Park Authority North York Moors National Park Landscape Character Assessm ent Decem ber 2003

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7. Limestone Dale

■ Key Characteristics: Landscape Type

• Steep sided, winding, relatively broad u-shaped valley with pronounced winding steep sided tributary valleys carved from the flat topped limestone and sandstone plateau. The upper reaches of the valley, which overlie rocks of the deltaic series, are larger in scale, broad and open, lacking the distinctive topographic form of the lower reaches.

• The steep slopes of the valley sides in the central and lower dale are almost continuously wooded and include significant areas of ancient woodland. Small blocks of woodland also occur on the lower valley sides. The steep wooded valley sides are in marked contrast to the openness of the flat or gently sloping valley floor in the lower dale. The upper dale is open; the gently sloping farmland is interspersed by small regularly shaped blocks and belts of mixed or deciduous plantations and deciduous woodland is limited to the steep banks of the becks.

• Much of the adjoining land is under forestry which, together with the frequently wooded valley sides, create enclosure and limit views.

• Farmland is mainly given over to improved pasture with some rough pasture and arable. Fields are divided by a mixture of fences and often well developed hedges and neat dry stone walls in the upper reaches. Individual trees are present on field boundaries or within fields.

• Settlement is limited to small hamlets and scattered farms constructed in stone with mainly pantile roofs in the broader valleys. Farms are of medium to large size sited on the valley sides or on the flat valley floor.

• Quiet, accessed by minor roads, some very steep and winding, and some parts of the valleys almost inaccessible.

North York Moors National Park Authority North York Moors National Park Landscape Character Assessment Decem ber 2003

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■ Pressures for Change

Table 7A: Negative Pressures for Change Pressures Predicted Consequence of Change to Landscape Feature Degree of Significance for Change Pressure of Pressure to Landscape Character

Land Use Changes Agricultural Decline of woodland and wood past ure (due t o neglect, changes in High High change management, grazing pressure) including Decline of boundary trees/hedger ow trees/individual trees/ sm all groups of High High econom ic trees (due to neglect, changes in m anagem ent, absence of new planting) pressures on Damage t o geological/geomorphological features (from agricultural Low Medium farming, operat ions, tree planting, recreation etc) farms going Decline in historic agricultural/ settlem ent features (e. g. ridge and furrow, Medium Medium out of earthworks) due to agricultural intensification, tree planting, recreational business, pressur es etc modernisatio Damage t o archaeological features (agricultural operat ions, recreational Medium Medium n/intensificati pressur es etc) on, changes Introduction of m odern farm buildings, slurry tanks, grain towers etc Medium Medium t o land t enure, farm Continued intensification of agricultural management especially in arable areas, leading to: diversificatio Decline in rough pasture/species rich and wet grasslands in favour of High Medium n, changes in improved pasture stocking Disrepair/loss of dry stone walls High Medium rates Replacement of walls and hedges with fencing High High

Decline in/neglect /loss of hedgerows High High Decline in wildlife and plant species variet y which contribute significantly to High High landscape character Potential for m arginal farm land to revert to unmanaged state, leading to Medium Medium invasion of coarse grasses, bracken and scrub. Recreational Pressures Growth in Increased traffic, parking problem s, bridge and verge damage, footpat h and High High visitor bridleway erosion, off road vehicle/motorcycle/mountain bike dam age, numbers damage associated with other outdoor pursuits, disturbance to wildlife Increasing commercialism within villages, tourist related development, Medium High holiday hom es, pressures to increase extent/number of camping/caravanning sites, potential pressure for large scale developm ent Development Pressures Demand for Pressure for small scale settlement expansion inc. infill Medium High residential Cumulat ive effect of changes in the physical fabric of settlem ents, inc. High High and holiday conversion of redundant buildings, closure of shops and schools, homes in the introduction of tourism facilities, creeping suburbanisation and gentrification National of settlem ents, inappropriate planting and loss of specim en trees within Park settlements Infrastructure Telecom and m obile phone m asts Medium Medium pressures Single wind turbines, overhead power and telephone lines Low Medium Highway related changes, including road and bridge improvem ent, kerbing, High High parking cont rols, signage and lighting Increasing traffic High High Developm ent Reduction in tranquillity, solitude and wilderness Medium Medium pressures Loss of unspoilt character and sense of historic continuity Medium Medium generally Loss of dark skies Medium Medium

Table 7B: Positive Pressures and Opportunities Pressures for Change Predicted Consequence of Change Significance of Pressure to Landscape Character Positive economic pressures inc. increasing More money available to support landscape and High em phasis aw ay from subsidies for production environmental init iat ives and tradit ional agricultural practices, towards subsidies t o support the rural resulting in halting or reversal of decline of traditional econom y and the environm ent e.g. agri practices, loss of habit at and landscape feat ures. environment schemes) and consum er pressure for local production of food, organic food etc

North York Moors National Park Authority North York Moors National Park Landscape Character Assessment Decem ber 2003

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Moves towards increase in native woodland Increased tree and woodland cover of scal e envisaged would High cover, the reversal of fragmentat ion of exist ing be a significant benefit t o landscape character, rest oring woods through replanting, the creation of new decline, providing design and siting of woodlands and woodlands and improved m anagem ent of species are sympathetic to landscape character. existing woodlands. Also increase in tree cover Indiscriminate planting could threaten landscape charact er in non-wooded areas. (BAP, NYMMP, Improvement in appearance of, or replacement of, smaller High Peterken Report, England Forestry Strategy) scale coniferous plantations. Cropping offers opportunity for replacement with broadleaves or return to other habitats Move towards multi purpose forestry and m ore Est ablished plantat ions are not being increased in size and High sensitive m anagem ent of forest ed areas (BAP, new plantations unlikely. Cropping offers opportunity for NYMMP, Peterken Report, England Forest ry replacement with broadleaves or return to other habitats Strategy) Move towards gener al habit at improvem ent Habitat improvem ent, diversification and reinstatement, High and reinst atem ent (BAP, English Nature, providing adequate funding and incentives ar e available, DEFRA etc) leading to improved wildlife diversity. Involvem ent of community in production of This m ay help reverse cum ulative changes to sett lement s. Medium village design appraisals and st atem ent s, Developm ent and tourism related pressures Offers opport unities for the restoration of farm buildings, Low houses and other structures of historic significance (e.g. mining remains) that might have otherwise fallen into disrepair

■ Landscape Character Areas

(7a) Hackness

• A steep sided winding relatively broad u-shaped valley of distinct character with pronounced winding steep sided tributary valleys carved from the flat topped plateau of the Tabular Hills, overlying Corallian Limestones and sandstones, with oxford clay and Kellaways rock to the sides of the upper valley..

• The River Derwent drains the upper valley, following a meandering course, and is joi ned by three major tributaries, Lowdales Beck, Troutsdale Beck and Black Beck. In its lower reaches the Derwent has diverted from its original course to flow through the Forge Valley (Character Area 6b).

• An artificial , resembling a bunded canal, constructed along the lower Hackness Valley (the former course of the Derwent) in the early 19th century, carries flood water from the Derwent into the sea at Scarborough. The catchment in this area is drained by a man made grid iron pattern drainage system.

• The steep slopes of the Hackness valley sides are almost continuously wooded (interspersed with occasional patches of bracken) and correspond with the poorer soils developed on calcareous grit. Small blocks of woodland also occur on the lower valley sides within the upper dale. The steep wooded valley sides are in marked contrast to the openness of the flat or gently sloping valley floor in the lower dale and contribute to a strong sense of place.

• Woodlands that line the valley side include significant areas of ancient woodland (although much of it is replanted), the woodlands at Raincliffe representing some of the best examples of mixed deciduous woodland in north east England. Species vary between willow and alder in the valley bottom, to ash and wych elm on the middle slopes with oak, rowan and holly on the upper slopes.

• Much of the adjoining land to the west and north of the Hackness valley is under forestry, which together with the wooded valley sides create enclosure and limit opportunities for views out of the valley.

• Farming on the lower valley slopes and on the valley floor is mainly improved pasture with some rough pasture and arable. Valley bottom fields are often poorly drained and colonised by rushes. Fields are divided by a mixture of fences and often well developed hedges. Individual trees are present on field boundaries or within fields. Some fields are unbounded to the roadside, allowing stock to wander.

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• Settlement is limited to small hamlets and scattered farms. Hackness village, dominated by estate features including high walls, stone gateposts, the lake, parkland landscapes and Hackness Hall itself has a unique character within the context of the National Park. Langdale End is a small settlement constructed in stone with pantile roofs set amongst trees with a number of holiday cottages in evidence. Farms are of medium size with large outbuildings are sited on the valley sides or on the flat valley floor within lower Hackness.

• A quiet area, accessed by minor roads, some very steep and winding, and some parts of the upper valleys almost inaccessible.

• Detractors include telegraph and electricity poles and the commercial forestry areas to the west and north. .

(7b) Upper Harwood Dale

• Upper Harwood Dale includes the upper reaches of the River Derwent (locally referred to as Harwood Dale/Lownorth Beck/Jugger Howe Beck) and its tributaries Woof Howe Grain and Bloody Beck to the north of Langdale/Broxa Forest and a similar area to the south east which drains towards the lower reaches of the Derwent. It is underlain by rocks of the deltaic series.

• The gently sloping landscape generally lacks the strong topographic form that is a feature of so much of the National Park. Local exceptions to this include the scarp edge that rises above the general area to the north of Broxa Forest and the ravine associated with the upper reaches of Jugger Howe Beck.

• The area is large in scale and generally open without strong defining features; it is dominated and enclosed by Langdale/Broxa Forest rising above the area on the steep scarp slope to the south and to a lesser extent by Fylingdales Moor to the north west and Harwood Dale Forest to the north east. To the south, land falls away to the lower lying areas around Burniston beyond the National Park boundary.

• The gently graded mainly pastoral farmland is divided in to a series of medium to large very regularly shaped fields by a mixture of hedges and neat dry stone walls, with occasional fences. Farmland is interspersed by small regularly shaped blocks and belts of mixed or deciduous plantations. Deciduous woodland is limited to the steep banks of Harwood Dale/Jugger Howe Beck (including Scar Wood, an ancient former coppice protected as an SSSI) or the becks that form its tributaries, or the steeply graded scarp slope in the south. Areas of rough pasture occur in the north west and upland heath/ bracken mosaic occurs on the forest edges.

• The only settlement within the area is the small hamlet of Harwood Dale, constructed mainly in stone with slate or pantile roofs. Large farms are scattered through the area at a relatively high density, marked by groups of trees. Visitor attractions are relatively few although there are a few holiday cottages, tearooms and a plant nursery present within the dale.

• The area is crossed by a few minor roads, and is generally fairly quiet. Detractors include the surrounding forestry plantations, particularly where they present a regularly shaped forest edge, and overhead utilities.

North York Moors National Park Authority North York Moors National Park Landscape Character Assessment Decem ber 2003

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8. Central Valley

■ Central Valley Landscape Character Areas

Landscape Character Areas Location

(8a) Commondale-Upper Eskdale

(8b) Lower Esk Valley

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8. Central Valley

■ Key Characteristics: Landscape Type

• Narrow, deep and sinuous central valley located between areas of heather moorland, widening in its middle reaches to an open, flat valley floor; in its lower reaches the valley form becomes more complex as a result of extensive glacial deposition. The valley is more open on its southern side where it is joined by a number of moorland dales.

• In its upper reaches the river is a visually dominant feature meandering along the valley floor, lined by trees and crossed by a number of small vernacular bridges, and joined by significant tributaries. In its lower reaches the course of the river alternately narrows as it follows an incised fast flowing route through the glacial deposits (where it is generally hidden from view by its steep banks and fringing tree cover) and widens to include a narrow flat flood plain.

• Landcover is varied and comprises a mixture of farmland with broadleaved woodland and areas of coniferous and mixed plantations. Small patches of scrub, bracken, rough pasture, wet grassland and areas of upland grass moor occur.

• Fields of improved and (occasionally) rough pasture and arable are bounded mainly by low stone walls in the upper dale and closely trimmed and overgrown hedgerows with frequent hedgerow trees in the lower valley, giving a well-wooded appearance to the lower dale.

• Blocks of broadleaved woodland (including some ancient semi natural upland oak woodland) are a feature of the upper, middle and lower valley sides, and follows the line of the river and valley side becks. Blocks of coniferous plantation are sited on the steeper valley slopes. The density and size of woodland areas increase significantly in the lower dale.

• Relatively densely settled, villages being of varied character, constructed mainly in sandstone with pantile roofs but with brick and slate also used as building materials. Although the older settlements are generally of a clustered form, many have expanded in linear fashion along the roads to include modern, suburban style housing. Traditional railway stations are a feature of many settlements. Scattered farms are sited on the mid and upper valley sides.

• The Whitby to railway line follows the valley floor and valley sides within the upper dale. A network of minor roads links the settlements along the valley sides or cross the river at the frequent historic bridging points. Railway bridges cross the road at many locations.

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• Small quarries and small-scale mineral workings are visible on the upper valley sides where tree cover is sparse or within adjacent moorland areas.

■ Pressures for Change

Table 8A: Negative Pressures for Change Pressures Predicted Consequence of Change to Landscape Feature Degree of Significance for Change Pressure of Pressure to Landscape Character

Land Use Changes Agricultural Decline of woodland and wood pasture (due to neglect, changes in High High change management, grazing pressure) including Decline of boundary trees/hedger ow trees/individual trees/ sm all groups of High High econom ic trees (due to neglect, changes in m anagem ent, absence of new planting) pressures on Damage t o geological/geomorphological features (from agricultural Low Medium farming, operat ions, tree planting, recreation etc) farms going Decline in historic agricultural/ settlem ent features (e. g. ridge and furrow, Medium Medium out of earthworks) due to agricultural intensification, tree planting, recreational business, pressur es etc modernisatio Damage t o archaeological features (agricultural operat ions, recreational Medium Medium n/intensificati pressur es etc) on, changes Introduction of m odern farm buildings, slurry tanks, grain towers etc Medium Medium t o land : t enure, farm Continued intensification of agricultural management especially in arable areas, leading to: diversificatio Decline in rough pasture/species rich and wet grasslands in favour of High Medium n, changes in improved pasture stocking Disrepair/loss of dry stone walls High High rates Replacement of walls and hedges with fencing High High

Decline in/neglect /loss of hedgerows High High Decline in wildlife and plant species variet y which contribute significantly to High High landscape character Potential for m arginal farm land to revert to unmanaged state, leading to Medium High invasion of coarse grasses, bracken and scrub. Recreational Pressures Growth in Increased traffic, parking problem s, bridge and verge damage, footpat h and High High visitor bridleway erosion, off road vehicle/motorcycle/mountain bike dam age, numbers damage associated with other outdoor pursuits, disturbance to wildlife Increasing commercialism within villages, tourist related development, Medium High holiday hom es, pressures to increase extent/number of camping/caravanning sites, potential pressure for large scale developm ent Development Pressures Demand for Pressure for small scale settlement expansion inc. infill Medium High residential Cumulat ive effect of changes in the physical fabric of settlem ents, inc. High High and holiday conversion of redundant buildings, closure of shops and schools, homes in the introduction of tourism facilities, creeping suburbanisation and gentrification National of settlem ents, inappropriate planting and loss of specim en trees within Park settlements Infrastructure Telecom and m obile phone m asts Medium Medium pressures Single wind turbines, overhead power and telephone lines Low Medium Highway related changes, including road and bridge improvem ent, kerbing, High High parking cont rols, signage and lighting Increasing traffic High High Developm ent Reduction in tranquillity, solitude and wilderness Medium Medium pressures Loss of unspoilt character and sense of historic continuity Medium Medium generally Loss of dark skies Medium Medium

Table 8B: Positive Pressures and Opportunities Pressures for Change Predicted Consequence of Change Significance of Pressure to Landscape Character Positive economic pressures inc. increasing More money available to support landscape and High em phasis aw ay from subsidies for production environmental init iat ives and tradit ional agricultural practices, towards subsidies t o support the rural resulting in halting or reversal of decline of traditional econom y and the environm ent e.g. agri practices, loss of habit at and landscape feat ures. environment schemes) and consum er pressure for local production of food, organic

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food etc Moves towards increase in native woodland Increased tree and woodland cover of scal e envisaged would High cover, the reversal of fragmentat ion of exist ing be a significant benefit t o landscape character, rest oring woods through replanting, the creation of new decline, providing design and siting of woodlands and woodlands and improved m anagem ent of species are sympathetic to landscape character. existing woodlands. Also increase in tree cover Indiscriminate planting could threaten landscape charact er in non-wooded areas. (BAP, NYMMP, Improvement in appearance of, or replacement of, smaller High Peterken Report, England Forestry Strategy) scale coniferous plantations. Cropping offers opportunity for replacement with broadleaves or return to other habitats Move towards multi purpose forestry and m ore Est ablished plantat ions are not being increased in size and High sensitive m anagem ent of forest ed areas (BAP, new plant ations unlikely. Cropping offers opportunity for NYMMP, Peterken Report, England Forest ry replacement with broadleaves or return to other habitats Strategy) Move towards gener al habit at improvem ent Habitat improvem ent, diversification and reinstatement, High and reinst atem ent (BAP, English Nature, providing adequate funding and incentives ar e available, DEFRA etc) leading to improved wildlife diversity. Involvem ent of community in production of This m ay help reverse cum ulative changes to sett lement s. Medium village design appraisals and st atem ent s, Developm ent and tourism related pressures Offers opport unities for the restoration of farm buildings, Low houses and other structures of historic significance (e.g. mining remains) that might have otherwise fallen into disrepair

■ Landscape Character Areas

(8a) Commondale-Upper Eskdale

• Narrow, deep and sinuous valley, opening up slightly downstream of Danby, drained by Commondale Beck and the River Esk which flow eastwards towards the coast at Whitby, the moorland to the north and south dropping steeply to the valley floor.

• The valley of Commondale joins the Esk Valley near Castleton, the two dales are of similar character and are perceived and exploited as an east-west gap through the upland joining the Tees lowland to the coast.

• The valley form is tightly pinched between moorland above Commondale village, broadening out below Castleton to a narrow valley floor. The valley opens out to the south where it is joined by the broad side valleys of Danby Dale and Little and Great Fryup. The underlying Scarborough Beds and moor grit having been cloaked by drift deposits of boulder clay/glacial sands and gravels which create a distinctive hummocky topography. The Cleveland Dyke traverses the dale downstream of Commondale village.

• The shallow, fast flowing River Esk below Castleton is a visually dominant feature meandering along the valley floor, lined by trees and crossed by a number of small vernacular bridges, and joined by significant tributaries including Baysdale Beck, Danby Beck, Little and Great Fryup Becks.

• Fields of improved and (occasionally) rough pasture bounded by low stone walls and occasional hedgerows line the valley floor and lower valley sides, with small areas of scrub and bracken on the valley floor and higher valley sides. Significant areas of bracken, upland heath and mosaic habitats are also present in the upper valley sides within the adjacent character area. The contrast between the valley landcover and moorland is particularly marked at Commondale, where arable land extends up to the moorland edge.

• Small blocks of broadleaved woodland (including some ancient semi natural upland oak woodland) are a feature of the upper, middle and lower valley sides, with occasional small blocks of coniferous plantation on the steeper valley slopes.

• The park pales marking the boundary of Danby Park, a medieval deer park, are a feature of the valley side to the north of Castleton.

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• The dale is relatively densely settled, villages being of varied character. Commondale, a small nineteenth and twentieth century settlement on the upper valley side, is distinguished by brick built buildings of a deep orange colour including a church and brick company offices, giving the settlement a distinct character in the otherwise sandstone dominated area. Castleton, dramatically located in an elevated position at the end of Castleton Rigg, is of combined linear and clustered form, constructed of sandstone and situated at the meeting point of roads crossing the moors. Bracken dominated common land forms a key feature of its setting, and sheep graze the wide grass verges within the settlement. Leaholme is situated within a well treed, valley bottom location. and Danby area linear sprawling settlements that have expanded to include modern, suburban style housing that have diluted character locally. Further hamlets and scattered farms are sited on the mid and upper valley sides.

• The Whitby to Middlesbrough railway line follows the valley floor and valley sides within the upper dale. Traditional stations are located at some distance from the settlement of Commondale and Castleton and within the settlement of Danby and Leaholme. The bed of a former railway track links the line with the former brickworks in the village of Commondale.

• A network of minor roads links the settlements along the higher valley sides and moorland flanks, or cross the river at the frequent historic bridging points. Railway bridges cross the road at many locations.

• Small quarries and former colliery workings are visible on the upper valley sides or within adjacent moorland areas.

• Detractors include unsympathetic modern residential development, electricity and telegraph poles.

(8b) Lower Esk Valley

• Broad lower valley and associated tributaries of complex topographic form resulting from extensive glacial deposition. The valley overlies deltaic sandstones and mudstones; the lower lying parts east of Carr End are underlain by Middle and Lower Lias mudstones.

• The river cuts a narrow, steep, rocky and fast flowing meandering course through the area, dividing occasionally to leave islands isolated within the river. The course of the river alternately narrows as it follows an incised route through the glacial deposits, where it is generally hidden from view by its steep banks and fringing tree cover and widens to include a narrow flat flood plain. The river is joined by three significant tributaries from the south, (Glaisdale Beck, Murk Esk and Little Beck) and one from the north (Stonegate Beck). Dramatic waterfalls are a feature of the Murk Esk Valley.

• The valley sides are undulating and varied in form, frequently steep at their upper edges and close to the river, the central slopes being gentler. The tributary valleys of Murk Esk, Little Beck and Stonegate Beck have similar topography.

• Landcover is similarly complex and varied and comprises a mixture of farmland with a high density of broadleaved woodland and areas of coniferous and mixed plantations. Small patches of scrub, bracken, rough pasture, wet grassland and areas of upland grass moor occur. A larger area of upland heath and upland heath/ bracken mosaics occurs at the remnant moorland Egton Low Moor on the northern upper valley side.

• Farmland comprises fields of pasture for sheep and cattle with occasional arable divided by a mixture of closely trimmed and overgrown hedgerows with frequent hedgerow trees of oak and ash on the lower valley sides, giving a well-wooded appearance to the dale. Walls and wire fences are also present but are less frequent than hedges.

• Blocks of mainly semi natural ancient woodland are widespread but are associated mainly with the steeper areas adjacent to the River Esk and on the upper valley sides and linear woodland

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following the course of minor becks. In some locations areas of farmland are located above mid valley side woodlands, a pattern that rarely occurs elsewhere in the Park.

• Settlements include Eskdaleside, which has many buildings of a suburban character using mixed materials, and Egton, a hillside village constructed mainly in stone with pantile roofs. A number of settlements are influenced by their location on the railway, the Victorian railway architecture exerting a strong influence at Grosmont. derives its character from the presence of the railway, the large church that dominates the village and the enclosing tree cover. Scattered farms of medium to large size are sited on the mid and upper valley sides. is elevated at 152m above sea level at the foot of the moors with upper Murk Esk. The settlement ahs spread along its approach roads to include modern development; it is an important tourist centre.

• The Whitby to Middlesbrough railway line follows the valley floor, crossing the road and river in numerous locations. Carefully conserved railway stations and trackside features contribute significantly to the character of the dale. The North Yorkshire Moors Steam Railway is a key feature of Murk Eskdale, south of Grosmont, the steam trains visible by their plume of smoke.

• Historic features include the numerous stone river bridges that are a feature of the dale and the packhorse bridge at Carr End. .

• The busy A 171, located on the ridge of land to the north of the valley forms the character area boundary. The A169 briefly cross the character area to the east of Eskdaleside. A network of minor roads links the settlements along the valley sides or cross the river at the frequent historic bridging points. Railway bridges cross the road at many locations.

• Recreational features include the rail trail between Grosmont and Goathland, the Cleveland Way and Newtondale Horse Trail and the Coast-to-Coast Walk, which follows the valley between Grosmont and Glaisdale.

• Small quarries and small-scale mineral workings are visible on the upper valley sides where tree cover is sparse or within adjacent moorland areas.

• Detractors include unsympathetic modern residential development and overhead utilities poles. The overhead electric line to Whitby, supported on pylons, crosses the Little Beck valley. The mast at Limber Hill is a local detractor.

North York Moors National Park Authority North York Moors National Park Landscape Character Assessment Decem ber 2003

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North York Moors National Park Authority North York Moors National Park Landscape Character Assessm ent Decem ber 2003

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9. Upland Fringe

■ Upland Fringe Landscape Character Areas

Landscape Character Areas Location

(9a) Cleveland Foothills

(9b) Western Fringe

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9. Upland Fringe

■ Key Characteristics: Landscape Type

• A distinctive, steeply graded escarpment landscape forming an outward facing transition area between the moorland or the intensively farmed and forested limestone plateau and lowlands to the west and north west, underlain by soft Lias mudstones and Cleveland ironstone with thin limestone beds.

• The edge follows a strongly indented shape with pronounced generally flat topped promontories, the f orm of the escarpment broken in places by dales that cut through it. Natural rock outcrops are an infrequent f eature but occasionally prominent feature.

• Long views across the lowlands are a key feature, the detractors within these areas having an influence on the character of the upland fringe.

• Outlying conical hills are a distinctive feature of the landscape, occurring along the length of the character type but with particular frequency in the south west. The form of the hills is often given emphasis by plantations partly clothing their sides.

• Very well treed with often extensive and sometimes blocky coniferous or mixed plantations clothing the steeper slopes with the top edge of the escarpment almost continuously wooded for considerable stretches. In other areas smaller blocks of woodland or plantation are interspersed with steeply graded pasture, or moorland vegetation of heather or bracken spills over the scarp top, resulting in an open top to the escarpment.

• Medium to large blocks of mainly replanted ancient woodland are associated with moorland slopes or follow the line of becks.

• Improved pasture fields, with occasional arable confined to more gently graded lower slopes of the escarpment or the scarp foot areas, enclosed by well developed hedgerows with hedgerow trees, fences or infrequent dry stone walls. Fields are generally medium in size within the gently undulating areas at the base of the escarpment becoming large in the flat land at the edge of the lowland.

• Where scarp foot areas are included within the Park boundary, linear scarp foot settlements set at right angles to the slope generally along the line of a beck are a frequent feature of the

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area. Buildings are constructed in sandstone or limestone with a mixture of pantile and slate roofs. A number of these settlements have been extended with modern brick built housing on outskirts Medium to large farms are scattered throughout the gently undulating landscape at the scarp foot.

• Sense of prosperity with halls, parklands, large houses and large farms, the parklands having a strong influence on the landscape of their immediate locality.

• Over parts of the type busy main roads or the railway intrude. Elsewhere the area is generally quiet and tends to be bypassed by visitors, although a few settlements act as local honeypots.

• Disused quarries and mineral workings (for alum and jet) are frequent and occasionally prominent where tree cover is reduced.

■ Pressures for Change

Table 9A: Negative Pressures for Change Pressures Predicted Consequence of Change to Landscape Feature Degree of Significance for Change Pressure of Pressure to Landscape Character

Land Use Changes Agricultural Decline of woodland and wood pasture (due to neglect, changes in High High change management, grazing pressure) including Decline of boundary trees/hedger ow trees/individual trees/ sm all groups of High High econom ic trees (due to neglect, changes in m anagem ent, absence of new planting) pressures on Damage t o geological/geomorphological features (from agricultural Low Medium farming, operat ions, tree planting, recreation etc) farms going Decline in historic agricultural/ settlem ent features (e. g. ridge and furrow, Medium Medium out of earthworks) due to agricultural intensification, tree planting, recreational business, pressur es etc modernisatio Damage t o archaeological features (agricultural operat ions, recreational Medium Medium n/intensificati pressur es etc) on, changes Introduction of m odern farm buildings, slurry tanks, grain towers etc Medium Medium t o land t enure, farm Continued intensification of agricultural management especially in arable areas, leading to: diversificatio Decline in rough pasture/species rich and wet grasslands in favour of High Medium n, changes in improved pasture stocking Disrepair/loss of dry stone walls High High rates Replacement of walls and hedges with fencing High High

Decline in/neglect/loss of hedgerows High High Decline in wildlife and plant species variet y which contribute significantly to High High landscape character Potential for m arginal farm land to revert to unmanaged state, leading to Medium High invasion of coarse grasses, bracken and scrub. Recreational Pressures Growth in Increased traffic, parking problem s, bridge and verge damage, footpat h and High High visitor bridleway erosion, off road vehicle/motorcycle/mountain bike dam age, numbers damage associated with other outdoor pursuits, disturbance to wildlife Increasing commercialism within villages, tourist related development, Medium High holiday hom es, pressures to increase extent/number of camping/caravanning sites, potential pressure for large scale developm ent Development Pressures Demand for Pressure for small scale settlement expansion inc. infill Medium High residential Cumulat ive effect of changes in the physical fabric of settlem ents, inc. High High and holiday conversion of redundant buildings, closure of shops and schools, homes in the introduction of tourism facilities, creeping suburbanisation and gentrification National of settlem ents, inappropriate planting and loss of specim en trees within Park settlements Infrastructure Telecom and m obile phone m asts Medium Medium pressures Single wind turbines, overhead power and telephone lines Low Medium Highway related changes, including road and bridge improvem ent, kerbing, High High parking cont rols, signage and lighting Increasing traffic High High

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Developm ent Large scale developments occurring beyond the National Park boundary Medium High out side which can exert a visual influence e.g. m ajor roads, telecoms masts, wind National farms, transmission lines, etc Park boundary Developm ent Reduction in tranquillity, solitude and wilderness High Medium pressures Loss of unspoilt character and sense of historic continuity Medium Medium generally Loss of dark skies High Medium

Table 9B: Positive Pressures and Opportunities Pressures for Change Predicted Consequence of Change Significance of Pressure to Landscape Character Positive economic pressures inc. increasing More money available to support landscape and High em phasis aw ay from subsidies for production environmental init iat ives and tradit ional agricultural practices, towards subsidies t o support the rural resulting in halting or reversal of decline of traditional econom y and the environm ent e.g. agri practices, loss of habit at and landscape feat ures. environment schem es) and consumer pressure for local production of food, organic food etc Moves towards increase in native woodland Increased tree and woodland cover of scal e envisaged would High cover, the reversal of fragmentat ion of exist ing be a significant benefit t o landscape character, rest oring woods through replanting, the creation of new decline, providing design and siting of woodlands and woodlands and improved m anagem ent of species are sympathetic to landscape character. existing woodlands. Also increase in tree cover Indiscriminate planting could threaten landscape charact er in non-wooded areas. (BAP, NYMMP, Improvement in appearance of, or replacement of, smaller High Peterken Report, England Forestry Strategy) scale coniferous plantations. Cropping offers opportunity for replacement with broadleaves or return to other habitats Move towards multi purpose forestry and m ore Est ablished plantat ions are not being increased in size and High sensitive m anagem ent of forest ed areas (BAP, new plantations unlikely. Cropping offers opportunity for NYMMP, Peterken Report, England Forest ry replacement with broadleaves or return to other habitats Strategy) Move towards gener al habit at improvem ent Habitat improvem ent, diversification and reinstatement, High and reinst atem ent (BAP, English Nature, providing adequate funding and incentives ar e available, DEFRA etc) leading to improved wildlife diversity. Involvem ent of community in production of This m ay help reverse cum ulative changes to sett lement s. Medium village design appraisals and st atem ent s, Developm ent and tourism related pressures Offers opport unities for the restoration of farm buildings, Low houses and other structures of historic significance (e.g. mining remains) that might have otherwise fallen into disrepair

■ Landscape Character Areas

(9a) Cleveland Foothills

• A distinctive, steeply graded escarpment landscape forming an outward facing transition area between moorland of the Cleveland Hills and lowlands of the Vale of York/Cleveland Plain to the west and north west underlain by soft Lias mudstones and Cleveland ironstone with thin limestone beds. The character area includes the gently rolling farmland at the scarp foot, where this is included within the National Park boundary.

• The edge follows a strongly indented shape with pronounced generally flat topped promontories, the form of the escarpment broken in places by dales that cut through it, including Scugdale and . Natural rock outcrops are an infrequent feature and are generally masked by tree cover.

• Long views across the Vale of York and Cleveland Plain are a key feature, the detractors within these areas (including main roads, overhead transmission lines and the industrial areas of ) having an influence on the character of the upland fringe.

• Roseberry Topping, isolated from the main face of the escarpment by the natural processes of erosion, overlooks the character area in the north and with its bent pinnacle shape is a key

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landmark of the western fringes of the National Park. A further prominent outlying conical hill (Whorl Hill at Faceby) contributes to the distinctive character of this fringe landscape.

• The River Leven and Scugdale Beck drain the area and a series of minor streams flow from the north and west facing slopes of the moors.

• The scarp slope is breached by Kildale, the steep upper slopes wooded and the gentler lower valley slopes a mixture of arable and pasture farmland divided by closely trimmed hedges and fences. The Whitby to Middlesbrough Railway passes through the dale, with a station at the hamlet of Kildale. Captain Cook’s Monument overlooks the dale from .

• Very well treed with often extensive and sometimes blocky coniferous or mixed plantations clothing the steeper slopes with the top edge of the escarpment almost continuously wooded for considerable stretches. In other areas smaller blocks of woodland or plantation are interspersed with steeply graded pasture, or moorland vegetation of heather or bracken spills over the scarp top, resulting in an open top to the escarpment.

• Medium to large blocks of mainly replanted ancient woodland are associated with moorland slopes or follow the line of becks.

• Improved pasture fields, with occasional arable confined to more gently graded lower slopes of the escarpment or the scarp foot areas, enclosed by well developed hedgerows with hedgerow trees or fences. Fields are generally medium in size within the gently undulating areas at the base of the escarpment becoming large in the flat land at the edge of the Vale of York and Cleveland Plain.

• Where scarp foot areas are included within the Park boundary, linear scarp foot settlements set at right angles to the slope generally along the line of a beck are a frequent feature of the area. Buildings are constructed in sandstone with a mixture of pantile and slate roofs. A number of these settlements have been extended with modern brick built housing on outskirts e.g. at and Ingleby Greenhow. Occasional halls and associated parklands are present on the outskirts of settlements. Medium to large farms are scattered throughout the gently undulating landscape at the scarp foot.

• Over much of the area busy main roads (the A171, A172 or A173) or the railway follow the character area boundary, intruding upon the area. Elsewhere the area is generally quiet and tends to be bypassed by visitors. The Cleveland Way footpath crosses parts of the character area, alternately following the escarpment side and the moorland edge.

• Disused quarries and mineral workings (for alum and jet) are frequent and occasionally prominent where tree cover is reduced. Old alum quarries in the escarpment side at Carlton Bank marked by heaps of pink coloured burnt shale are visible as a prominent scar from many miles away. A line of small depressions about 2/3 of the way up the slope marks a series of old jet workings. An extensive linear Whinstone Quarry is situated to the east of Great Ayton, visible as a v-shaped gash within the wooded Whinstone Ridge.

(9b) Western Fringe

• A steeply graded escarpment forming an outward looking transition landscape between limestone uplands of the Hambleton Hills and lowlands of the Vale of York/Vale of Pickering to the west and south west underlain by soft Lias mudstones and Cleveland ironstone with thin limestone beds. Long views across the lowland areas a key feature.

• The edge follows a strongly indented form being incised by numerous becks and gills and is strongly influenced by the form of its underlying geology. To the north, the land falls away steeply off the edge of Arden Great Moor, the moorland appearing to spill over the top of the slope when viewed from the lowland to the west. To the south it falls from the intensively farmed and forested limestone plateau.

North York Moors National Park Authority North York Moors National Park Landscape Character Assessment Decem ber 2003

WHITE YOUNG GREEN ENVIRONMENTAL

• Outlying conical hills are a distinctive feature of the landscape, occurring along the length of the character area but with particular frequency in the south west. The form of the hills is often given emphasis by plantations partly clothing their sides.

• High clifflines are an infrequent feature but particularly prominent in the Sutton Bank area. Disused quarries are frequent and occasionally prominent where tree cover is reduced.

• Lake Gormire, the only natural lake in the park, lies in a hollow at the foot of Sutton Bank, surrounded by trees. The area is drained by a number of minor becks which descend the escarpment including Gurtof Beck and Lunshaw Beck which flow into Sutton Beck on the edge of the central part of the character area.

• Sense of prosperity with halls, parklands, large houses and large farms, the parklands having a strong influence on the landscape of their immediate locality.

• Frequent picturesque small villages and hamlets constructed in either sandstone or limestone with mainly pantile roofs line the slope foot between Osmotherley in the north and and Wass in the south connected by minor roads. The A170 famously climbs the slope at Sutton Bank via a steep zigzag route

• Very well treed with coniferous or mixed plantations clothing the steeper slopes almost continuously. Two very sizeable plantations which extend over on to moor tops occur at Moor and Crabtree bank, to a large extent masking the varied underlying terrain where they occur. In some areas smaller blocks of woodland are interspersed with steeply graded pasture.

• Medium to large blocks of mainly replanted ancient woodland associated with moorland slopes becoming less frequent to the south.

• A strong pattern of well developed hedgerows with hedgerow trees are a particular feature of the character area, such that it is often difficult to obtain views from the minor lanes. Improved pasture fields with very occasional arable confined to more gently graded lower slopes of the escarpment or the scarp foot areas, enclosed by hedgerows or infrequent dry stone walls and fences.

• Generally a quiet area that tends to be bypassed by visitors, except where the A19(T) forms the character area boundary. Local honeypots occur at Osmotherley, Byland Abbey, Sutton Bank and Kilburn. The Cleveland Way runs along the escarpment top in the western part of the character area.

• The White Horse of Kilburn is a prominent feature of the character area, exposing the buff-grey gritstones of the Middle Oolites, and spread with chalk chippings to maintain its unnatural white colour, in defiance of local geology.

• Byland Abbey, managed by English Heritage, is a key feature within flat open land at the foot of the escarpment in the south of the character area.

North York Moors National Park Authority North York Moors National Park Landscape Character Assessment Decem ber 2003

WHITE YOUNG GREEN ENVIRONMENTAL

North York Moors National Park Authority North York Moors National Park Landscape Character Assessm ent Decem ber 2003

WHITE YOUNG GREEN ENVIRONMENTAL

North York Moors National Park Authority North York Moors National Park Landscape Character Assessm ent Decem ber 2003

WHITE YOUNG GREEN ENVIRONMENTAL

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North York Moors National Park Authority North York Moors National Park Landscape Charact er Assessm ent December 2003

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Ordnance Survey 1:50,000 Middlesbrough – Darlington and Hartlepool Landranger 93 (2000).

Ordnance Survey 1:50,000 and Ripon – Pateley Bridge and Leyburn Landranger 99 (1998).

North York Moors National Park Authority North York Moors National Park Landscape Charact er Assessm ent December 2003

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Ordnance Survey 1:50,000 Scarborough – Bridlington and Landranger 101 (1996).

Ordnance Survey 1:50,000 Malton and Pickering – Helmsley and Easingwold Landranger 100 (1997).

Ordnance Survey 1:25,000 North York Moors – Western Area Outdoor Leisure 26 (1995).

Ordnance Survey 1:25,000 North York Moors – Eastern Area Outdoor Leisure 27 (1999).

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Geological Survey of Great Britain – Stockton (Sheet 33) Drift.

Geological Survey of Great Britain – Guisborough (Sheet 34) Drift.

Geological Survey of Great Britain – Whitby and Scalby (Sheet 35 & 44) Drift.

Geological Survey of Great Britain – Northallerton (Sheet 42) Drift.

Geological Survey of Great Britain – Egton (Sheet 43) Drift.

Geological Survey of Great Britain – Thirsk (Sheet 52) Drift.

Geological Survey of Great Britain – Pickering (Sheet 53) Drift.

Geological Survey of Great Britain – Scarborough (Sheet 54) Drift.

Agricultural Land Classification for England and Wales – Sheet 85.

Agricultural Land Classification for England and Wales – Sheet 91.

Agricultural Land Classification for England and Wales – Sheet 92.

Agricultural Land Classification for England and Wales – Sheet 93.

North York Moors National Park Section 3 Conservation Map 2000 Update – Background Information.

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GIS data supplied by the North York Moors National Park Authority

Nature Conservation – SSSI, SPA, cSAC, LNR, NNR Ancient Woodlands Conservation Areas Hydrology Contours Management of Landscape Change 1980 Section 3 SMR

North York Moors National Park Authority North York Moors National Park Landscape Charact er Assessm ent December 2003