Grass Woods near Grassington

• A place of peace and tranquility
• Plenty of wildlife can be seen
• Return via the River Wharfe

The Yorkshire Wildlife Trust has done an excellent job protecting and upgrading the Grass Woods woodland near Grassington. The largest Ash woodland in the Dales it is a truly magical place, ideal for an afternoon stroll along one of the many footpaths which weave through the hillside. Geologically it is set upon a series of limestone terraces and is a site of some historical significance. Fort Gregory is the site of an ancient Brigantean (Bits at the time of the Romans) settlement but to be honest I tripped over it and did not notice it was there. The star of the show is the wonderful flowers which decorate the floor of the woods; yellow pimpernel, bluebells and lily of the valley just 3 in an area which is a botanist’s delight. Time of the year is important here; I was probably a little late on my last visit, May and June being the best time to visit. Deer roam the woods and there is a significant variety of bird life to be seen for those in the know; woodpeckers, treecreepers and woodcocks are all popular residents. There is a real silence in these woods, different to that in a manufactured coniferous forest, which is pleasant and almost timeless. The wooded area is really not that big so I would suggest just picking your own route and spending as much time in the woods as you want.

Recommend: Start off by heading for the woods but return via the banks of the River Wharfe. It is an attractive section of the river and should not be missed.

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© Crown copyright 2010 Ordnance Survey. Image produced from the Ordnance Survey Get-a-map service. Image reproduced with kind permission of Ordnance Survey and Ordnance Survey of Northern Ireland.

OS Map:	O/S 1.25,000. OL2 Yorkshire Dales Southern & Western Areas
Start Point:	001640. Parking is available in Grassington. Head up Grass Wood Lane and before taking the right turn towards Cove Lane and the woods.
Terrain:	Cove Lane can be muddy or worse (it is a farm track!) but the remainder of the walk is on good paths.
Eating & Drinking:	Grassington has a full range of excellent tea rooms and a choice of pubs.
Similar Walks Nearby:	Exploring Kilnsey Crag Villages of Wharfedale Bordley under Malham Moor
Places to Stay:	Grassington Lodge, Grassington