Waterdale

Site of Special Scientific Interest · 54.0443, -0.7509

Condition (Natural England)

Favourable (2) Unfavourable Recovering (2)
UnitFeatureConditionArea (ha)Assessed
SE815618 Favourable 6.03 2010-09-02
SE818615 Unfavourable Recovering 25.48 2013-09-23
SE820618 Favourable 6.03 2010-09-02
SE822616 Unfavourable Recovering 6.83 2013-09-23

Geology & landscape

Rock Type: Chalk

Description

Area, 36.34 hectares 90.0 ac Description Waterdale is one of the most important chalk grassland sites known in the Yorkshire Wolds, consisting of an east west main dale and parts of two side dales. It is particularly important as a species rich site containing a variety of north and south facing aspects. The grassland type sare very varied and include the following, A tor grass Brachypodium pinnatum/red fescue Festuca rubra grassland on south facing slopes, rich in herbs including rock rose Helianthemum nummularium, small scabious Scabiosa columbaria, greater knapweed Centaurea scabiosa and field scabious Knautia arvensis. Ondeeper soils this community becomes dominated by false oat grass Arrhenatherum elatius. A red fescue grassland, also with a southerly aspect, which includes the herbs dropwort Filipendula vulgaris, rock rose and wild thyme Thymus praecox. A red fescue grassland with north and north west aspects, which includes pignut Conopodium majus and common milkwort Polygala vulgaris, yellow rattle Rhinanthus minor and devil's bit scabious Succisa pratensis, but little rock rose. pignut is characteristic of chalk grassland in the Yorkshire Wolds but extremely rare on other chalk site. A tor grass sward with a south eastern aspect and the herbs clustered bellflower Campanula glomerata and pepper saxifrage Silaum silaus. This latter species is unknown on chalk grassland sites in southern England. A mixed grassland on north facing slopes. Grasses included tufted hair grass Deschampsia cespitosa, sweet vernal grass Anthoxanthum odoratum, red fescue and crested dog's tail Cynosurus cristatus with the herbs lady's bedstraw Galium verum and devil's bit scabious. Scrub is developing on some parts of the site and this is usually of hawthorn Crataegus monogyna, but there is also gorse Ulex europaeus especially on parts of the south facing slope. The dale is noted entomologically for its leafhopper Heteroptera fauna including the uncommon Hardya melanopsis. The weevil coleoptera Sitona lineellus which has a distinctly northern distribution has also been recorded here. Other Information This site is listed in 'A Nature Conservation Review' edited by D A Ratcliffe 1977. Cambridge University Press. * Under Section 23 of the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act, 1949.

Species mentioned

English name
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Latin name
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IUCN / Red List Type Family
Sitona lineellus Not listed in GB list beetle curculionidae
sweet vernal grass Anthoxanthum odoratum LC grass poaceae
false oat grass Arrhenatherum elatius LC grass poaceae
tor grass Brachypodium pinnatum LC grass poaceae
crested dog's tail Cynosurus cristatus LC grass poaceae
tufted hair grass Deschampsia cespitosa LC grass poaceae
red fescue Festuca rubra LC grass poaceae
clustered bellflower Campanula glomerata VU herb campanulaceae
greater knapweed Centaurea scabiosa LC herb asteraceae
pignut Conopodium majus LC herb apiaceae
dropwort Filipendula vulgaris LC herb rosaceae
lady's bedstraw Galium verum LC herb rubiaceae
rock roses Helianthemum nummularium VU herb cistaceae
field scabious Knautia arvensis LC herb caprifoliaceae
common milkwort Polygala vulgaris VU herb polygalaceae
yellow-rattle Rhinanthus minor DD herb orobanchaceae
small scabious Scabiosa columbaria LC herb caprifoliaceae
pepper saxifrage Silaum silaus EN herb saxifragaceae
devils-bit scabious Succisa pratensis VU herb caprifoliaceae
creeping thyme Thymus praecox Not listed in GB list herb lamiaceae
hawthorn Crataegus monogyna LC shrub rosaceae
gorse Ulex europaeus LC shrub leguminosae

Insects to look out for

These moths, butterflies and beetles are known to feed on plants recorded at this site, and carry a notable UK conservation status — but a host-plant being present doesn't mean the insect has actually been recorded here. Treat this as "worth watching for," not a confirmed sighting.

SpeciesStatusVia host-plant
Figure of eight
Diloba caeruleocephala
Endangered Crataegus spp.
The lappet
Gastropacha quercifolia
Endangered Crataegus monogyna
Scarce vapourer
Orgyia recens
Endangered Crataegus spp.
Mouse moth
Amphipyra tragopoginis
Vulnerable Crataegus spp.
Northern brown
Aricia artaxerxes
Vulnerable Helianthemum nummularium
The sprawler
Asteroscopus sphinx
Vulnerable Crataegus spp.
Mottled umber
Erannis defoliaria
Vulnerable Crataegus spp.
Marsh fritillary
Euphydryas aurinia
Vulnerable Centaurea scabiosa, Knautia arvensis, Scabiosa columbaria, Succisa pratensis
Satyr pug
Eupithecia satyrata
Vulnerable Centaurea spp., Galium spp., Helianthemum nummularium, Rhinanthus minor
White-line dart
Euxoa tritici
Vulnerable Galium verum
Grayling
Hipparchia semele
Vulnerable Deschampsia cespitosa, Festuca rubra
Bedstraw hawk-moth
Hyles gallii
Vulnerable Galium spp.
The lackey
Malacosoma neustria
Vulnerable Crataegus monogyna
Pale brindled
Phigalia pilosaria
Vulnerable Crataegus monogyna
Silver studded blue
Plebejus argus
Vulnerable Helianthemum nummularium, Ulex spp.
Lead belle
Scotopteryx mucronata
Vulnerable Ulex europaeus
The anomalous
Stilbia anomala
Vulnerable Deschampsia cespitosa
Early moth
Theria primaria
Vulnerable Crataegus monogyna
Pale eggar
Trichiura crataegi
Vulnerable Crataegus monogyna
Flounced chestnut
Agrochola helvola
Near Threatened Crataegus monogyna
Beaded chestnut
Agrochola lychnidis
Near Threatened Crataegus monogyna
Grey chi
Antitype chi
Near Threatened Crataegus monogyna
Small heath
Coenonympha pamphilus
Near Threatened Cynosurus cristatus, Festuca spp.
Large thorn
Ennomos autumnaria
Near Threatened Crataegus spp.
Autumnal rustic
Eugnorisma glareosa
Near Threatened Galium spp.
Grey pug
Eupithecia subfuscata
Near Threatened Centaurea spp., Crataegus monogyna
Double dart
Graphiphora augur
Near Threatened Crataegus spp.
Silky wave
Idaea dilutaria
Near Threatened Helianthemum nummularium
Scarce forester
Jordanita globulariae
Near Threatened Centaurea scabiosa
Rosy minor
Litoligia literosa
Near Threatened Arrhenatherum elatius
Dark-barred twin-spot carpet
Xanthorhoe ferrugata
Near Threatened Galium spp.

Host-plant data: Cook et al. (2025), Traits data for the butterflies and macro-moths of Great Britain and Ireland, 2024, UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology / Butterfly Conservation; and Padovani et al. (2020), Database of Insects and their Food Plants (DBIF), UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (both Open Government Licence). Contains data supplied by UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology.

Plant communities

W20 — Montane scrub

Salix lapponum-Luzula sylvatica scrub

Matches 6 species from the description above: Anthoxanthum odoratum, Deschampsia cespitosa, Festuca rubra, Rhinanthus minor, Succisa pratensis, Thymus praecox

Salix arbuscula, Salix cinerea, Salix lapponum, Salix myrsinites, Salix phylicifolia, Salix reticulata, Empetrum nigrum, Calluna vulgaris, Salix lanata, Vaccinium myrtillus, Vaccinium uliginosum, Carex atrata, Carex bigelowii, Carex binervis, Carex flacca, Luzula multiflora, Luzula sylvatica, Huperzia selago, Selaginella selaginoides, Aulacomnium palustre, Mnium hornum, Philonotis fontana, Plagiomnium undulatum, Rhizomnium punctatum, Dicranum bonjeanii, Dicranum majus, Dicranum scoparium, Fissidens adianthoides, Racomitrium lanuginosum, Calliergonell cuspidatum, Ctenidium molluscum, Hylocomium splendens, Hypnum callichroum, Hypnum cupressiforme, Palustriella commutatum, Plagiothecium denticulatum, Plagiothecium undulatum, Pleurozium schreberi, Ptilium crista-castrensis, Rhytidiadelphus loreus, Rhytidiadelphus squarrosus, Rhytidiadelphus triquetrus, Sanionia uncinata, Scorpidium revolvens, Thuidium tamariscinum, Atrichum undulatum, Polytrichastrum alpinum, Sphagnum capillifolium, Sphagnum fallax, Sphagnum girgensohnii, Sphagnum palustre, Sphagnum russowii, Sphagnum squarrosum, Sphagnum subnitens, Sphagnum teres, Barbilophozia barbata, Chiloscyphus polyanthos, Diplophyllum albicans, Lophocolea bidentata, Plagiochila porelloides, Ptilidium ciliare, Scapania undulata, Cladonia squamosa, Peltigera canina, Angelica sylvestris, Caltha palustris, Hieraclium spp., Saussurea alpina, Solidago virgaurea, Campanula rotundifolia, Succisa pratensis, Valeriana officinalis, Rhodiola rosea, Vaccinium vitis-idaea, Thymus praecox, Epilobium anagallidifolium, Dactylorhiza viridis, Euphrasia officinalis, Rhinanthus minor, Oxalis acetosella, Oxyria digyna, Polygonum viviparum, Rumex acetosa, Anemone nemorosa, Ranunculus acris, Thalictrum alpinum, Alchemilla alpina, Alchemilla glabra, Filipendula ulmaria, Geum rivale, Galium boreale, Galium saxatile, Saxifraga aizoides, Saxifraga hypnoides, Saxifraga oppositifolia, Saxifraga stellaris, Viola riviniana, Agrostis canina, Agrostis capillaris, Anthoxanthum odoratum, Deschampsia cespitosa, Deschampsia flexuosa, Festuca ovina, Festuca rubra, Nardus stricta, Dryopteris dilatata, Phegopteris connectilis

W21 — Hedgerow scrub, Mixed scrub

Crataegus monogyna-Hedera helix scrub

Matches 3 species from the description above: Arrhenatherum elatius, Brachypodium pinnatum, Crataegus monogyna

Hedera helix, Salix cinerea, Acer pseudoplatanus, Ilex aquifolium, Betula pendula, Corylus avellana, Fagus sylvatica, Quercus robur, Fraxinus excelsior, Malus sylvestris, Sorbus aria, Taxus baccata, Ulmus glabra, Ulmus procera, Sambucus nigra, Viburnum lantana, Euonymus europaeus, Cornus sanguinea, Juniperus communis, Ligustrum vulgare, Clematis vitalba, Rhamnus cathartica, Crataegus laevigata, Crataegus monogyna, Prunus spinosa, Juncus effusus, Plagiomnium undulatum, Brachythecium rutabulum, Kindbergia praelonga, Rhynchostegium confertum, Tamus communis, Heracleum sphondylium, Torilis japonica, Arum maculatum, Arctium minus, Cirsium arvense, Lonicera periclymenum, Moehringia trinervia, Silene dioica, Stellaria graminea, Stellaria holostea, Stellaria media agg., Calystegia sepium, Mercurialis perennis, Geranium robertianum, Iris foetidissima, Glechoma hederacea, Lamium purpureum, Origanum vulgare, Stachys sylvatica, Teucrium scorodonia, Allium ursinum, Hyacinthoides non-scripta, Circaea lutetiana, Rumex sanguineus, Anemone nemorosa, Ranunculus repens, Fragaria vesca, Geum urbanum, Potentilla sterilis, Poterium sanguisorba, Rosa arvensis, Rosa canina, Rubia peregrina, Rubus fruticosus agg., Galium aparine, Urtica dioica, Viola riviniana, Anisantha sterilis, Arrhenatherum elatius, Brachypodium pinnatum, Brachypodium sylvaticum, Bromopsis erecta, Dactylis glomerata, Elytrigia repens, Holcus lanatus, Holcus mollis, Poa trivialis, Asplenium scolopendrium, Pteridium aquilinum, Dryopteris filix-mas

W22 — Hedgerow scrub, Mixed scrub

Prunus spinosa-Rubus fruticosus scrub

Matches 2 species from the description above: Festuca rubra, Ulex europaeus

Hedera helix, Acer campestre, Corylus avellana, Ulex europaeus, Prunus spinosa, Plagiomnium undulatum, Brachythecium rutabulum, Eurhynchium striatum, Kindbergia praelonga, Thuidium tamariscinum, Atrichum undulatum, Lophocolea bidentata, Achillea millefolium, Cardamine flexuosa, Lonicera periclymenum, Moehringia trinervia, Silene dioica, Silene uniflora, Stellaria media agg., Mercurialis perennis, Geranium robertianum, Stachys sylvatica, Teucrium scorodonia, Hyacinthoides non-scripta, Oxalis acetosella, Digitalis purpurea, Plantago lanceolata, Veronica chamaedrys, Armeria maritima, Rumex acetosa, Filipendula ulmaria, Geum urbanum, Rosa canina, Rubus fruticosus agg., Rubus idaeus, Galium aparine, Urtica dioica, Viola riviniana, Agrostis capillaris, Brachypodium sylvaticum, Dactylis glomerata, Festuca rubra, Holcus lanatus, Holcus mollis, Poa trivialis, Asplenium scolopendrium, Pteridium aquilinum, Dryopteris borreri, Dryopteris filix-mas