A group of asylum seekers has taken part in coppicing activities in the Nidderdale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) as part of a Farming in Protected Landscapes funded project.

This the second time the AONB has offered conservation activities for refugees and given them the opportunity to come together, and experience a “positive, welcoming experience in nature”.

This month, hedge-laying was planned but due to bad weather, the asylum seekers took part in a woodwork workshop hosted in the Harrogate and Nidderdale District Scouts activity centre, at Thornthwaite.

The group carved wooden spatulas and spoons and sharpened hedge stakes with help from tutors from the Leeds Coppice Workers.

All those who took part have fled violence, war and oppression in their home countries and are in the process of applying for refugee status.

Matt Trevelyan, farming in protected landscapes officer at Nidderdale AONB, said:

“Here in the UK, refugees suffer from acute anxiety about the complex asylum process. They worry about accommodation, money, education, access to legal advice. They fear detention, deportation, destitution and homelessness.

And there is a constant concern about loved ones left behind or missing. All this takes a heavy toll on their emotional and psychological wellbeing.”

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Asylum seekers have no right to work in the UK, while applying for asylum. Research shows 61% of them experience serious mental distress.

To date, asylum seekers from Syria, Iran, Turkey and Sudan have taken part in the volunteering scheme.

A further four outings are planned to take place throughout the year, with activities including dry-stone walking and visits to working farms.

Matt said:

“It is such a pleasure to work alongside people from other cultures, on this occasion, Kurdish, Eritrean and Iraqi.

I’m hugely impressed by the beautiful manners of these men, who show such resilience, embracing the unknown, and facing new challenges with real joy.”

The Nidderdale Way Café provided hot food for the asylum seekers on the day.

The Skell Valley Project is inviting people to help restore wildlife habitats at Ripon’s Hell Wath nature reserve.

The £2.5 million project aims to provide a sustainable future for 12 miles of the River Skell through Dallowgill Moor and Ripon an on to the vale of York.

Throughout January, the project team will be working with the Friends of Hell Wath and Harrogate Borough Council to carry out habitat improvements by restoring areas of grassland and continuing to remove areas of scrub.

The areas for clearance have been selected with the aim of creating a rich environment for a wide range of animal and plant species.

The conservation work is part of the Friends’ management plan for the site developed in liaison with the four-year Skell project, which is led by the National Trust and Nidderdale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

On Saturday January 14, members of the community can find out more about the wildflower planting programme and how they can become involved by meeting at the Ripon City Panthers clubhouse at Hell Wath, where a drop-in session will be held between 10am and 3pm.

Following the public event, scrub clearance will continue throughout the week with various volunteer groups. Information boards and maps throughout the site are being put in place to provide details of what’s happening.

Red Admiral is one variety of butterfly playing a key role in pollination at Hell Wath. Picture: Ripon Photographic Society

Hell Wath is a designated local nature reserve important for its grassland and contains species such as the common spotted orchid and adder’s-tongue fern.

Work so far has helped wildflowers recover and rare bee orchids have reappeared in key areas. This month’s work will ensure these wildflowers are not swamped by the encroaching scrub and woodland, which will create more feeding opportunities for pollinating insects.

The project’s area ranger Gabby Crisp said:

“We’d love the local community to come and give Hell Wath a hand by joining us on Saturday January 14 at a drop-in practical session we’ll be holding on site.

“We’ll be hand-cutting some scrub to allow space for the grassland and the wildlife it supports to thrive. It’ll be a great way to kick off the new year with some fresh air and a chance to burn off some Christmas calories too!’.

Jeremy Dunford, secretary of the Friends, added:

“Growing the wildflower population of the large grassland meadows is a key part of the management plan for Hell Wath. This will increase the range and number of butterflies and other insects in this area which will in turn see a larger variety of birds and small mammals at the nature reserve.

“Those unable to make the public event can still get involved in helping nature thrive in this special place from the comfort of home. Friends of Hell Wath are asking the local community to help by cultivating wildflower plugs to plant on Hell Wath in the autumn.”

For a £5 donation, the Friends will provide a pack of wildflower seeds, a tray of 12 biodegradable seeds pots, peat free compost to fill the trays and an instruction leaflet for cultivating the seeds provided.

• The first AGM to be held by the Friends of Hell Wath since it gained charitable status will be held at South Lodge, from 7pm on January 19. All are welcome to attend, although voting is open only to members of the charity. For more information click here.

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Business Breakfast is sponsored by Harrogate law firm Truth Legal. 

Nidderdale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) is hosting a series of free workshops for AONB farmers and land managers.

The workshops include practical help on farming from leading experts.

Matt Trevelyan, farming in protected landscapes officer at the AONB, said:

“These workshops provide a fantastic opportunity to receive help and advice on a range of topics, from farm accounts, soil health and pond construction to regenerative grazing practices – there really is something for everybody”.

• 19 October with farm consultant, Mel Holloway, at Darley Memorial Hall. ‘Reaping the Financial Rewards of Good Soil Health’ offers technical advice on soil, manure, carbon and nutrient management. The workshop will also provide advice for farmers on the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) improved grassland soil standard.
• 2 November at Home Farm in Risplith near Ripon from 10am, Niels Corfield, an independent agricultural consultant will look at ‘Reducing Nitrogen Costs’.Synthetic Nitrogen fertiliser costs are high and are a major contribution to climate change. Niels will explain how to reduce nitrogen dependency, increase profits and maintain respectable yields.
• 9 November, there is an ‘Autumn Review of the Darley Beck Curlew Project’ from 10am at Darley Memorial Hall.
• 11 and 12 November see day-long accredited courses from 9am till 4pm in ‘Agricultural Bookkeeping & Management Accounts’, hosted at Pavilions of Harrogate.
• 16 November at the Mechanics Institute in Kirkby Malzeard, Niels Corfield delivers a full day ‘Grazing Workshop’ from 9.30am to 4.30pm.
• 24 November -online course on ‘Pond Creation’ at 12pm.

All events are all free to attend, with lunch provided at the live workshops, although registration is required in advance as spaces are limited.

For full details and to register go to: https://nidderdaleaonb.org.uk/events/  

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Kirbys Solicitors has welcomed three new members to its property and private client teams.

Based on Victoria Avenue, the firm is one of Harrogate’s oldest companies, with a history stretching back more than 250 years.

Charlotte Thomas, Katie Hindmarsh and Wendy Scarr have all joined the practice in recent months.

Associate solicitor Charlotte specialises in residential, commercial and agricultural property, and has previously worked with a range of clients from large public sector organisations to smaller owner-managed businesses.

Katie and Wendy join Kirbys’ private client team. Associate solicitor Katie specialises in wills, probate, trusts, powers of attorney and court of protection work. She was described in last year’s Legal 500 as being ‘brilliant with clients’ and ‘really down to earth’.

Kirbys Solicitors, based on Victoria Avenue, is one of Harrogate’s oldest companies, with a history stretching back more than 250 years.

Director David Dow said:

“We are delighted to welcome Charlotte, Katie and Wendy to our team, adding to our expertise in both the commercial and private spheres.”

Charlotte Thomas, Katie Hindmarsh and Wendy Scarr have joined Kirby Solicitors.

Yurtshire, in the Nidderdale countryside, is drawing on the power of nature, to create a revitalising experience for visitors from across the Harrogate district and further afield.

The 93-acre site, which features Eavestone Lake, is being developed by Tom Sterne, whose family are long-term investors in the retail, leisure and hospitality sectors, in Ripon and surrounding areas.

Located between Ripon and Pateley Bridge, just off the B6265 road, the site with its nine luxurious tree yurts, opened last summer.

Following the high demand of a staycation year, three more units are being added, after planning permission was granted by Harrogate Borough Council.

Plans are also in hand to add spa-type facilities and services, including a sauna, facial and body massages.

The site features the 13-acre Eavestone Lake

Mr Sterne, who has more than ten years of experience of outdoor hospitality-based business, gained through his operation of hire company Yorkshire Yurts and    YurtBar, which caters for the corporate entertainment market, told the Stray Ferret:

“I’m using the expertise that I have gained to create a new facility to satisfy the needs of people who are increasingly focused on wellness, lifestyle issues and the environment.”

He pointed out:

“Our site has an abundance of natural assets, including forty acres of forest, a 13-acre lake and the biodiversity that goes with them, from birds, butterflies and insects to clear night-time skies that are perfect for people whose spirits are lifted by looking at the stars.

“The aim is to harness and harmonise with all aspects of the natural environment – woodland, water and wildlife – to provide guests with a restful and regenerative stay that is good for mind, body and the healing process.

“That is why people wanting to find a peaceful and idyllic place to go on retreat, represent a growing part of our business.”

The yurts have been designed to provide a five-star level of luxury

In the Nidderdale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, Yurtshire is surrounded by stunning  scenery, that would not look out of place on a canvas by the landscape master painter J.M.W. Turner.

Views from the decking of each Yurt site, which has its own private hot tub, underline why nearby Grassington was chosen for filming of the smash-hit Channel 5 programme All Creatures Great and Small.

Each of the nine placements has its own private hot tub and decking area

With Grassington and other attractions, such as Fountains Abbey, Studley Royal, Brimham Rocks and Stump Cross Caverns, drawing more staycationers to Yorkshire, there is scope for Yurtshire to build on a successful first season.

Nicola Warters, pictured here with Tom Sterne, says the yurts provide five-star luxury in idyllic surroundings

Yurtshire manager Nicola Warters, said:

“We are providing the type of luxury accommodation that can be found in a five-star hotel, but instead of waking up surrounded by bricks and mortar, our visitors are in the heart of the woodland and arise to the sound of birds singing.

“Some also come for the pleasure of picking out the star constellations, as they relax in the soothing waters of their hot tub. It’s therapeutic on every level.”

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More than 100 people with passionate but different views about the future of Hell Wath Nature Reserve attended a meeting in Ripon last night.

The meeting, at Ripon Bowling Club, was organised by Keep Hell Wath Natural, a group concerned about clearance and other work at the reserve, including removal of a large area of hawthorn and blackthorn, the felling of trees and draining/de-silting of a pond.

The work is being done as part of the National Lottery-funded £2.5m Skell Valley Project, which involves work on a 12-mile stretch of the River Skell between Dallowgill Moor and Hell Wath.

Members of Keep Hell Wath Natural, along with local residents, dog walkers and people who have been visiting the area for up to 55 years joined representatives from the Friends of Hell Wath, the Skell Valley Project, and Harrogate Borough Council leader Richard Cooper at the meeting. It was chaired by independent city councillor Peter Horton.

Meeting organisers Janet Anderson (centre) and Brian Don, pictured in January in an area of Hell Wath where clearance works have taken place

Project partners include the National Trust, Nidderdale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and Harrogate Borough Council, which has a 99 year lease on Hell Wath negotiated at a peppercorn rent with landowner Tarmac.

Objectors say ‘brutal’ clearance has gone too far

Speaker after speaker said they wanted Hell Wath to remain as they have known it for decades — as a natural and largely un-touched area with trees, shrubs, grassland, riverside paths and pond.

They were critical of the clearance activities that have already taken place as part of the Skell Valley Project.

Fears were also expressed about possible longer-term plans to create a cycle path, which they believe would be hazardous for owners who take their dogs to exercise at Hell Wath and let them off the lead.

They believe that the clearance ‘went too far’ removing areas of bushes, trees and water that sustain wildlife ranging from frogs and newts to birds, rabbits and hedgehogs.

The removal of trees and scrub, was described by two speakers as ‘brutal’ and ‘creating a mess.’

Sheila Boyd summed up the feelings of many present, when she said:

“We are talking about an area that has been completely cleared and destroyed, taking away the habitat for hedgehogs, butterflies, birds and other creatures.

“There are four large and open fields at Hell Wath, with barely a tree in sight, so why couldn’t these pockets of bushes and woodland be left as they were?”

What was the response from the Skell Valley Project?

Project manager Nabil Abbas explained the reason for the clearance works. He said

“Historically, in a wild landscape like this, there would have been large herbivores like wild boar, wild cattle, elk, beavers etc living and naturally managing the land.

“Regular catastrophic events such as flooding or wildfires would also take place, all of which remove trees and shrubs and help to maintain a mosaic of open habitats suitable for a broad range of different species.”

Nabil Abbas

He added:

“Cattle did graze at Hell Wath for a long period, however it is not appropriate to reintroduce them given the way the community now use and enjoy the space.

“Due to the absence of these natural processes which would keep them in check, trees and shrubs are spreading through these precious open areas.

“As a result, we risk losing the diversity of species such as rare orchids and wildflowers, bees, butterflies and other pollinators, and the birds and animals that feed on them, if we do not actively manage these remaining habitats.

“In summary, our landscape is no longer ‘natural’ since key ecological processes are no longer operating, and therefore human intervention is needed to conserve the diversity of habitats and species which depend on them.”

Council leader ‘shocked’

Cllr Cooper, said he was ‘shocked’ by the hostile reaction to some of the points made by Mr Abbas and claimed there had been an attempt to ‘shout him down and heckle’ him.

In response, a member of the audience, said:

“You should understand the strength of feeling in this room and that is why people are getting heated about what is happening at Hell Wath.”

‘Shocked’ Harrogate Borough Council leader Richard Cooper. Picture: Tyler Parker Photography

‘No plans for a cycle path’ – Friends of Hell Wath

Both the secretary of the Friends of Hell Wath, Jeremy Dunford and committee member Carol Leo, were categoric in saying that a cycle path is not planned as part of their work or that of the Skell Valley Project.

Mr Dunford, who is also chair of the Ripon Disability Forum, confirmed there are plans to improve paths and access for people who, like himself, are wheelchair users, or families with children in pushchairs. He said:

“There will be no cycle paths, no tarmac, no concrete, but we want to ensure that Hell Wath is accessible to everybody. We all have a right to visit this area.”

Jeremy Dunford, spoke about improving accessibility

Ms Leo, added:

“There will also be no bridleways and there will be signage on all entrances saying ‘no cycling’.”

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Invitation to join the friends

At the end of the meeting, Ms Leo, said:

“It is clear that people here are passionate about Hell Wath and I hope that we can all work together.

“I ask those of you who are not already members of the Friends of Hell Wath to come and join us.”

The organiser of a public meeting on the future of Hell Wath Nature Reserve has said he hopes for a “calm and constructive discussion”.

There has been heated online discussion recently about changes to the Ripon beauty spot.

Trees and bushes have been removed, a pond has been drained and saplings planted as part of the £2.5 million Skell Valley Project,

The four-year National Lottery-funded project, which is supported by Harrogate Borough Council, The National Trust, Friends of Hell Wath and Nidderdale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, involves work on a 12-mile stretch of the River Skell between Dallowgill Moor and Hell Wath.

The project aims to create a sustainable future for the Skell Valley but some local people are upset about the extent of the clearance work at Hell Wath and feel they haven’t been adequately consulted.

A meeting at 7pm on Wednesday next week will give them an opportunity to raise their concerns.

‘Common ground’

Brian Don, of the Keep Hell Wath Natural group, which called the meeting, told the Stray Ferret:

“Our aim is to bring together people with differing views about this much-loved and visited area of Ripon, with the objective of finding a mutually acceptable way forward.

“We hope for a calm and constructive discussion, which can find common ground between those, who like ourselves, want to keep Hell Wath as we have known it for decades and those who have a different longer-term view.”

Read more:

• Differing views on the future of Hell Wath
• Fix in sight for collapsed Kirkby Malzeard wall

The meeting, which will take place at Ripon Bowling Club on Bondgate Green, will be chaired by Peter Horton, deputy mayor of Ripon and a former Harrogate district and North Yorkshire county councillor, who has served as an independent on the city council for 19 years.

He said:

“I’m looking for an even-tempered meeting, at which all sides can air their views.

“What they have to say will be collated and we can see where we go from there — perhaps a follow-up meeting at which the issues raised can be addressed in detail.”

People in the Harrogate district will be given the opportunity to see the solar system and Milky Way from an observatory near Ripon next month and in March.

Lime Tree Observatory at Lime Tree Farm, at Grewelthorpe, is offering a series of tours as part of Nidderdale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty‘s Dark Skies Festival.

If the weather is clear, telescopes will be available to see the dark nights skies close up.

Nidderdale is home to some of the darkest skies in the country and has four dark sky discovery sites — Thruscross reservoir, Scar House reservoir, Fewston and Toft Gate — which are recognised as excellent and accessible places to stargaze.

Credit: Martin Whipp

Iain Mann, Nidderdale AONB manager, said:

“Our dark skies are part of what makes this landscape so special with the opportunity to see thousands of stars, and even at times, the Northern Lights.

“But this wondrous sight is under threat with increasing light pollution. It also threatens nocturnal wildlife, wastes energy and can even affect our own wellbeing.”

New planeterium coming

Lime Tree Observatory, which has a 24-inch reflecting telescope with a motor driven and a presentation room, is run by volunteers on a not-for-profit basis.

Nidderdale AONB recently awarded the observatory a Farming in Protected Landscapes grant to buy digital projection equipment for its new planetarium, which has been three years in the making.

Built in a converted old hay barn, the planetarium will be six and a half metres in diameter, and is set to open to the public this year.

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• Paddle to the stars at Nidderdale reservoir as part of Dark Skies Festival
• Grants of up to £150,000 available for Nidderdale farmers

The three-year Defra-funded Farming in Protected Landscapes grant programme offers financial support for one-off projects that either support nature recovery, provide better access or engagement with the land, or increases the business resilience of ‘nature friendly’ farms.

Astronomer, filmmaker and volunteer at Lime Tree Observatory, Martin Whipp, said:

“When it opens, the new planetarium will have a real wow-factor. You’ll be able to fly through the Orion Nebula, or witness simulations of galaxies colliding in this immersive experience.”

“The observatory aims to truly engage and inspire the public. Here, children can hold a meteorite that’s four billion years old. It can really fire imaginations. Space offers an exciting platform to learn physics, to inspire art, poetry and philosophy.”

The Dark Skies Festival also offers a chance to canoe under the stars at How Stean Gorge in Lofthouse.

For details and to book for the Lime Tree Observatory, click here.

Tickets are limited and booking essential.

What is Nidderdale AONB?

Nidderdale AONB, which is funded by the government, is an area of 233 square miles located on the eastern flanks of the Yorkshire Pennines stretching from Great Whernside to the edge of the Vale of York.

AONBs are designated in recognition of their national importance and to ensure that their character and qualities are protected for all to enjoy.

Work has begun at Hell Wath Local Nature Reserve in Ripon to restore precious wildlife habitats.

The conservation work is part of the £2.5m four-year Skell Valley Project, a scheme co-led by the National Trust and Nidderdale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

The Skell Valley Project is working with Harrogate Borough Council to deliver the Friends of Hell Wath Nature Reserve management plan, which is part of a wider scheme of work to help nature thrive in the Skell Valley and Ripon.

Hell Wath (pictured below) is a wildflower-rich grassland, home to species such as common spotted orchid and cowslips as well as botanical rarities such as adder’s-tongue fern and bee orchid.

Invasive ‘scrub’ is spreading across the open grasslands, swamping out the wildflowers and reducing feeding opportunities for butterflies and other pollinators.

Councillor Andrew Paraskos, Harrogate Borough Council’s cabinet member for environment, waste reduction and recycling, said:

“Scrub, the bushes and thicket that develop at the edge of woodland, is an important wildlife habitat but left unchecked it can lose its value for nature and overwhelm the delicate grassland.

“While it can seem counter-intuitive to remove trees to help nature, this work is about maintaining the overall importance of the habitat at Hell Wath so that as many species as possible can flourish.”

The scrub removal is part of a wider scheme of work that will be delivered at Hell Wath as part of the Skell Valley Project.

During winter, a silted-up pond will be reinstated to restore habitat for amphibians and dragonflies. In coming years, the project will work to improve footpaths on the reserve, with better waymarking and interpretation.

Nabil Abbas, project manager for the Skell Valley Project, said:

“By working with our partners at Harrogate Borough Council and the Friends of Hell Wath, the charity established by volunteers to care for the site, we can make a real difference for nature in Ripon and for the people who enjoy visiting this lovely green space.

“We’re passionate about encouraging people to get involved in caring for the nature, wildlife and heritage around them. Next year there will be a programme of events giving people the opportunity to learn more about the wildlife in their local area.”

More information about the project is available at: nationaltrust.org.uk/skellvalleyproject