Friends of Gill Beck Valley
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The valley covers an altitudinal range from 50m at the confluence of the Gill Beck and River Aire up to 385m at the twelve apostles on the watershed of Rombald’s Moor.
Unsurprisingly, the whole area has been heavily utilised over the centuries; since sporadic settlement in Mesolithic times, through to the extensive woodland clearances of the Mid-Bronze Age (around 2000 BC) and enclosures from at least 1610 onwards (shown in a map of Baildon Moor by Robert Saxton of that date http://www.bradfordhistorical.org.uk/baildonmoor.html). Coal was extracted from shallow pits at many sites in the Baildon moor area from at least the 14th century until the end of the nineteenth -having a . The settlements of Low Hill, Sconce and Moorside subsisted on coal mining, quarrying, textiles, arable and livestock farming. In recent decades, the former predominantly agricultural landscape has become increasingly varied with leisure use for Golf Courses and horse paddocks.
Baildon Moor was purchased by the Bradford Corporation in 1899 to provide recreation for the populace and remains a ‘urban common’.
Rombald’s Moor is designated as an SSSI as part of the South Pennine Moors SPA/SAC (Special Protection Area, Special Area of Conservation) . This creates an obligation on planners to ensure that development within 7km does not adversely affect the area.
To the best of our knowledge, no other parts of the valley are protected by any designation conferring statutory protection although there are some Local Wildlife Sites (LWS) and most is ‘green belt’.
There’s a good variety of habitat types compressed into the study area. This review aims to look at each in turn and highlight aspects of particular significance.
Whilst it might be said that the Gill Beck catchment is nothing ‘special’, and maybe 70 years ago it wouldn’t have been; it must be borne in mind that we find ourselves in a situation where nature has declined to the point where there are fewer than 300 pairs of Curlew in the whole of England south of Birmingham, the number of UK Grey Partridge breeding pairs has declined by 64% in just 23 years from 1995 to 2018, Cuckoos by 75% and we have lost 97% of our wild flower meadows since the 1930s. The Gill Beck valley, which has all of these and more, represents a contiguous area of relatively wild country: a priceless resource on the doorstep of almost 2,000,000 people in the Leeds-Bradford conurbation.
Moorland
The description of the South Pennine Moors SSSI, which encompasses Hawksworth moor describes ‘extensive areas of blanket bog occur on the upland plateaux which are interspersed with species-rich acidic flushes and mires. There are also mosaics of upland wet and dry heaths and acidic grasslands.’
Most of that part of Rombald’s moor which drains into the Gill Beck catchment remains managed grouse moor with sheep grazing, predator-control, drainage and regular burning.
The drainage network has been constructed to channel water, for example from Horncliffe Well, to Intake Gate and thus to Reva Reservoir.
Ling Calluna vulgaris is the dominant plant species. Also Crowberry, Bilberry and Sedges.
Heather moor on Baildon Moor was probably never so heavily managed and, in places, is rapidly giving way to Bilberry, Bracken, Hawthorn, Silver Birch, Rowan and Willow. Grouse have declined to become only occasional visitors.
The top of Baildon Moor is dominated by Purple Moor-grass Molinia caerulea. Molinia-dominance has become an increasing issue for landscape managers since this species tends to form a bland monoculture. The reasons for its rise to problematic levels are complex but probably involve sheep-grazing in the absence of other large herbivores, increasing nitrogen pollution and higher atmospheric carbon dioxide.
https://adriancolston.wordpress.com/2017/01/11/the-problem-with-purple-moor-grass-molinia/
Since sheep have been removed the moor now has an issue with encroaching Bracken! Control measures have ensued.
For many decades Baildon Moor has played host to numerous human visitors. In the early 20th century crowds of 30-50,000 Bradfordians regularly gathered there on weekends and holidays to enjoy the surroundings. Walking, cycling, dog-walking, horse-riding and golf continue to be significant environmental factors; although obviously integral to its role in public amenity.
Rombald’s moor supports populations of Merlin and Golden Plover of international importance. Cuckoo (parasitising Meadow Pipit), Reed Bunting, Stonechat, Whinchat and occasionally Short-eared Owls are hanging on.
Bilberries on Baildon Moor support the caterpillars of Green Hairstreak butterflies.
Plant communities Baildon Moor: these include Bog Asphodel, Sundew, Lesser Twayblade orchid and more.
Pasture:
A wide range of agricultural practices have resulted in a variety of floristic communities
Unimproved upland grassland covers the Reva Hill area, High Eldwick and part of Baildon Moor. This is upland acid grassland and upland rush pasture which is currently grazed by sheep and, in parts, also by horses and cows. There are Gorse, Willow, Rowan and Holly.
Here, there are still Curlews, Lapwings, Snipe and Grey Partridge.
This upland grassland is important for breeding Lapwing, Curlew, Grey Partridge, Snipe and Skylarks.
Improved pasture: Most of the pasture which dominates the valley is improved to a greater or lesser extent. Much of it has little floristic diversity, other than in the field margins, although some relief from the sea of Rye Grass is provided by Red and White Clover, Vetches, Dandelions, Daisies and Buttercup.
Horse paddocks and Tong Park: represent relatively unimproved lowland pasture -which has now become a very scarce habitat. Here there are Harebells, Yellow Rattle, Birdsfoot Trefoil, Oxeye Daisy, Ragged Robin, Devil’s Bit Scabious, Red Bartsia, Teasel, Pignut, Knapweed, Betony, Marsh rchid, Hedge Mustard, Pineapple Mayweed, Buttercup.
Field boundaries:
Drystone walls remain a characteristic feature. Lower down there are also hedges. Some of these have previously been layed and must be quite old. In some areas new hedges have been planted.
In less intensively-farmed areas there are broad expanses of Bramble and Rosebay Willowherb.
Butcher’s Broom on Strait Lane at Hawkstone Farm, Harebells, Foxglove, Dandelion, Hogweed, Cow Parsley, Coltsfoot, Dog Rose. There are isolated patches of primroses and cowslips.
Woods:
The woods down the centre of the valley consist of semi-natural deciduous woodland. Spring Wood, Willy Wood, Birks Wood, Roundabout Wood in the lower part of the valley. Old Wood, West Wood, Great Wood (north of Faweather Lodges), Honey Joan Wood, Howden Wood (at Sconce) above the road bridge at Mill Lane.
Additionally, there are sizeable pockets at Hazel Head Wood on the Baildon side of the valley. Hollins Hall and Elm Wood on the Guiseley side. The Odda and Hawksworth Hall on the northern watershed.
This woodland shows a gradation from flatter, less acidic areas where Pedunculate Oak, Sycamore, Silver and Downy Birch, Holly and Alder (along banksides) are the main trees, along with a few Rowan, Yew and Field Maple. Holly Ilex aquifolium is showing strong regeneration in the face of the onslaught of the many Roe Deer. In some areas there are quite large contiguous stands (for example just west of Hollins Hall).
The herb layer in these areas tends to be dominated by bramble. Bluebells and Wild Garlic are plentiful, along with wood millet, hedge woundwort and ferns.
On the steeper valley sides a more acidic soil is found. In this area sessile and hybrid oaks are more common, along with Silver and Downy Birch, Holly, Wych Elm and Hazel. Parts of Spring Wood have old stools of coppiced Hazel which must have been managed in the past.
All of these areas are shown as wooded on OS map dated 1851 and remain so today.
Around these are various plantings comprising a wide range of native and introduced species: for example on Hollins Hall (dating from early 2000s) and Bradford Golf course (from early 1900s). Species include Ash, Hazel, Larch, Lombardy (Black) Poplar, Beech, Silver Birch, Scots Pine, Guelder Rose.
Beech (Fagus sylvatica) has been planted along the line of the aqueduct at Tong Park, on the Odda/Hawksworth Hall, Bradford Golf Club and at Hollins Hall.
Sycamore (Acer pseudoplatanus), often magnificent mature specimens, is also widespread and locally frequent, often on slightly more neutral soils. There are many along drystone walls in pasture.
Ash is the characteristic tree of many drystone wall field boundaries, pasture and is also present within woodland.
Wild Cherry is scattered, often around buildings.
Along watercourses here are frequent Alder (Alnus glutinosa) with particular Alder Carr below the railway viaduct.
Goat willow (Salix caprea) and grey sallow (S. cinerea).
Regeneration is generally good among the broadleaved species, with oak, beech, birch, rowan and the sporadic ash all showing good spontaneous growth. No active regeneration was observed among the conifers.
There is plenty of dead standing and fallen timber throughout the woodland. This reflects the fact that no large-scale timber extraction occurs. As a result, fungi and invertebrate populations are quite diverse and numerous.
Other shrub species comprise hawthorn Crataegus monogyna, Blackthorn and Elder Sambucus nigra.
Honeysuckle in many hedges/wood margins. Many mature trees have Ivy, often a profuse covering.
It’s an indispensable resource for insects late in the year
Herbaceous layer relatively un-depleted by grazing deer: Wood Anenome, Wood Sorrel, Yellow Pimpernel, Wild Garlic, Bluebell. Locally, Green Alkanet.
Diversity of woodland birds is not what it could be: the wooded areas are perhaps just too small and isolated to support long-term viable populations of Redstart, Wood Warbler or Pied Flycatcher. Spotted Flycatcher, Marsh Tit, Willow Tit, Lesser Spotted Woodpecker and Hawfinch which may have been present in relatively recent times have all experienced severe national decline.
Buzzard Sparrowhawk, Green and Great Spotted Woodpecker are all present. Kites have obviously become common and seem likely to breed.
Roe Deer are plentiful: their tracks are everywhere. Hares also use the woods…especially in hard winters.
Scrub:
On Baildon moor there is extensive Bracken and Hawthorn. Blackthorn thickets occur on the Odda, Hollins Hall golf course and at Tong Park.
Elder, Crab Apple, Ground Elder, Brambles, Gorse, Broom, Bracken.
Water bodies:
There are plenty of man-made water bodies ranging from small coal pits on Baildon Moor up to the reservoirs at Reva and Weecher.
Reva and Weecher reservoirs: these cold, deep waters have few breeding birds. Notably Oystercatchers. They do provide roost sites for gulls, ducks and geese.
Hawksworth New Dam:
Tong park Dam: water lilies, Purple Loosestrife
Frog Pond at Tong Park: Yellow Flag, Willow
Red Brick Dam: Willow
Hollins Hall golf club ponds: Bulrush
Reservoir at High Eldwick
The Valley is home to good populations of Common Toads, Common Frogs and Smooth Newts.
Wetlands:
Marsh at Tong park (2 areas) Bulrush Typha latifolia, Marsh Marigold, Marsh Thistle, Angelica, Himalayan Balsam, Hemlock water dropwort, Ragged Robin, Water Mint
Also above Weecher.
Blanket bog and coal pits on Baildon Moor
Water courses:
The Gill Beck and its tributaries remain in good condition and relatively pollution-free in post-industrial times.
A good range of riparian fauna includes Dipper, Kingfisher, Grey Wagtail (all of which have bred), Grey Heron, Otter (occasionally), Mink, Brown Trout and Bullhead. The only crayfish in the lower part of the beck are invasive Signal Crayfish Pacifastacus leniusculus
The invertebrate fauna of the beck includes good numbers of Mayfly. Mass hatching on fine spring days remains a feature.
Bankside vegetation of Gill Beck: Moschatel, Wood Anenome, Lily of the Valley, Wild Garlic, Daffodil, Butterbur, Crosswort,
Bankside smaller tributaries: Meadowsweet, Brooklime and, in shaded areas, Opposite-leaved Golden Saxifrage, Fool’s Watercress, Brooklime, Great Burnet Sanguisorba officinalis, Marsh Marigold Caltha palustris, Meadowsweet, Cuckoo Flower, Opposite-leaved Golden Saxifrage
Industrial sites:
Tong Park Mills: Buddleia, Purple Toadflax
Gardens:
There are no large settlements in the valley (this being a large part of its attraction). The village at Hawksworth and scattered farms and houses.
Summary of significant features:
Ecologically, the most important habitats and floral/faunal communities are the wild flower meadows at Tong Park, the upland areas of Rombald’s Moor with its adjacent unimproved acid grasslands and the relatively unspoiled Gill Beck itself.
However, by virtue of being a large contiguous stretch of semi-natural habitat from the Aire Valley to the top of Rombalds Moor crossed by only two roads, the valley is important as a recreational and aesthetic resource for people who live around it and enjoy its natural spaces. There is a good network of public rights of way. It’s not a coincidence that the area was a popular holiday and leisure destination in the days before air travel. What it lacks is the focus of an area (‘nature reserve’) managed primarily with conservation outcomes in mind.
Potential threats and opportunities:
1: It would be a concern if land use at Tong Park were to change away from horse/mixed grazing. The current regime is ideally-suited to the maintenance of the diverse meadows. Further encroachment by housing would also reduce its value. Hopefully, the present long-term lessees will continue to use the area. If not, and if the opportunity arose to manage all or part of this area for conservation then that would be an opportunity which would be interesting to look at: if a team of people with the capacity to take on such a job were available. The area is intensively used for recreation by local people and is not big enough to support much in the way of larger fauna. However, it would be invaluable as an educational resource.
2: Similarly, the extensive mixed grazing of the Reva Hill area depends (to the best of our knowledge) on the management methods of a very few landowners. Again, it’s a big undertaking but such an area could be a valuable mixed-use conservation/farming project.
3: As is the case for intensively-managed grouse moors generally, biodiversity, carbon sequestration and flood alleviation on Hawksworth and Bingley Moors would benefit from reduced drainage, replacement of burning with alternative management tools, increased numbers of trees and scrub and reduced control of apex predators. It’s to be hoped that, given the pressing need, land managers, incentivised by the regulatory environment, will be able to adapt in positive ways.
4: Pretty much all waterways in England are vulnerable to pollution in one way or another. Regulation is not always effective given the challenges faced by the environment agency. The ecology of the Gill Beck could be severely impacted even by isolated incidents. Vigilance is required and a network of reporting observers would be a big advantage.
5: There are always opportunities to engage with land managers to encourage wildlife-friendly practices. It would also be nice to involve schools as potent agent of community engagement. River monitoring would be a good focus for this.
Friends of Gill Beck Valley 