Askrigg Bottoms

Site of Special Scientific Interest · 54.3086, -2.0811

Condition (Natural England)

Favourable (1)
UnitFeatureConditionArea (ha)Assessed
SD948903 Favourable 2.58 2024-10-29

Description

Description Askrigg Bottoms is one of the best examples in the Yorkshire Dales National Park of a northern hay meadow community. Lying adjacent to the River Ure, it receives natural enrichment from river silt and is traditionally managed by hay cropping. The grassland community is composed of sweet vernal grass Anthoxanthum odoratum with crested dog's tail Cynosurus cristatus, common bent grass Agrostis capillaris, smooth meadow grass Poa pratensis, hairy oat Avenula pubescens and red fescue Festuca rubra. It is rich in herb species with great burnet Sanguisorba officinalis notable for its abundance. Other flowering plants present include wood crane's bill Geranium sylvaticum, pignut Conopodium majus, rough hawkbit Leontodon hispidus, ribwort plantain Plantago lanceolata, yellow rattle Rhinanthus minor, salad burnet Poterium sanguisorba, oxeye daisy Leucanthemum vulgare, red clover Trifolium pratense and common sorrel Rumex acetosa.

Species mentioned

English name
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Latin name
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IUCN / Red List Type Family
common bent Agrostis capillaris LC grass poaceae
sweet vernal grass Anthoxanthum odoratum LC grass poaceae
downy oat grass Avenula pubescens LC grass poaceae
crested dog's tail Cynosurus cristatus LC grass poaceae
red fescue Festuca rubra LC grass poaceae
smooth meadow grass Poa pratensis LC grass poaceae
pignut Conopodium majus LC herb apiaceae
wood cranesbill Geranium sylvaticum LC herb geraniaceae
rough hawkbit Leontodon hispidus LC herb asteraceae
oxeye daisy Leucanthemum vulgare LC herb asteraceae
ribwort plantain Plantago lanceolata LC herb plantaginaceae
salad burnet Poterium sanguisorba VU herb rosaceae
yellow-rattle Rhinanthus minor DD herb orobanchaceae
common sorrel Rumex acetosa LC herb polygonaceae
great burnet Sanguisorba officinalis LC herb rosaceae
red clover Trifolium pratense LC herb fabaceae

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
Marsh moth
Athetis pallustris
Endangered Plantago lanceolata
Heath fritillary
Melitaea athalia
Endangered Plantago lanceolata
Glanville fritillary
Melitaea cinxia
Endangered Plantago lanceolata
Scarce vapourer
Orgyia recens
Endangered Rumex acetosa
Fiery clearwing
Pyropteron chrysidiformis
Endangered Rumex acetosa
Mouse moth
Amphipyra tragopoginis
Vulnerable Poterium sanguisorba
Broom moth
Ceramica pisi
Vulnerable Rumex spp.
Marsh fritillary
Euphydryas aurinia
Vulnerable Plantago spp.
Satyr pug
Eupithecia satyrata
Vulnerable Rhinanthus minor
Garden dart
Euxoa nigricans
Vulnerable Plantago spp., Rumex spp., Trifolium spp.
Grayling
Hipparchia semele
Vulnerable Festuca rubra
Grizzled skipper
Pyrgus malvae
Vulnerable Poterium sanguisorba
Beaded chestnut
Agrochola lychnidis
Near Threatened Rumex spp., Trifolium spp.
Grey chi
Antitype chi
Near Threatened Plantago lanceolata, Rumex spp.
Garden tiger
Arctia caja
Near Threatened Plantago spp., Rumex spp.
Latticed heath
Chiasmia clathrata
Near Threatened Trifolium spp.
The sallow
Cirrhia icteritia
Near Threatened Rumex spp.
Small heath
Coenonympha pamphilus
Near Threatened Agrostis spp., Cynosurus cristatus, Festuca spp., Poa spp.
Silver barred
Deltote bankiana
Near Threatened Poa pratensis
Autumnal rustic
Eugnorisma glareosa
Near Threatened Plantago spp., Rumex spp.
Wall
Lasiommata megera
Near Threatened Agrostis spp.
Dark-barred twin-spot carpet
Xanthorhoe ferrugata
Near Threatened Rumex 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

MG3 — Northern hay meadow

Anthoxanthum odoratum-Geranium sylvaticum grassland

Matches 15 species from the description above: Agrostis capillaris, Anthoxanthum odoratum, Avenula pubescens, Conopodium majus, Cynosurus cristatus, Festuca rubra, Geranium sylvaticum, Leontodon hispidus, Leucanthemum vulgare, Plantago lanceolata, Poa pratensis, Rhinanthus minor, Rumex acetosa, Sanguisorba officinalis, Trifolium pratense

Carex caryophyllea, Carex panicea, Luzula campestris, Mnium hornum, Plagiomnium cuspidatum, Brachythecium rutabulum, Calliergonell cuspidatum, Kindbergia praelonga, Rhytidiadelphus squarrosus, Anthriscus sylvestris, Conopodium majus, Heracleum sphondylium, Achillea millefolium, Bellis perennis, Caltha palustris, Centaurea nigra, Cirsium heterophyllum, Crepis paludosa, Hypochaeris radicata, Jacobaea vulgaris, Leontodon hispidus, Leucanthemum vulgare, Scorzoneroides autumnalis, Taraxacum officianalis, Myosotis discolor, Cardamine pratensis, Campanula rotundifolia, Succisa pratensis, Cerastium fontanum, Stellaria media agg., Equisetum arvense, Lathyrus montanus, Lathyrus pratensis, Lotus corniculatus, Trifolium medium, Trifolium pratense, Trifolium repens, Vicia sativa, Vicia sepium, Geranium sylvaticum, Ajuga reptans, Thymus praecox, Orchis mascula, Euphrasia nemorosa, Rhinanthus minor, Plantago lanceolata, Veronica serpyllifolia, Rumex acetosa, Primula veris, Primula vulgaris, Anemone nemorosa, Ranunculus acris, Ranunculus bulbosus, Ranunculus repens, Trollius europaeus, Alchemilla acutiloba, Alchemilla glabra, Alchemilla glomerulans, Alchemilla monticola, Alchemilla subcrenata, Alchemilla vestita, Alchemilla wichurae, Alchemilla xanthochlora, Filipendula ulmaria, Geum rivale, Potentilla erecta, Sanguisorba officinalis, Saxifraga granulata, Viola lutea, Viola riviniana, Agrostis capillaris, Alopecurus pratensis, Anthoxanthum odoratum, Arrhenatherum elatius, Avenula pubescens, Briza media, Bromus hordeaceous, Cynosurus cristatus, Dactylis glomerata, Deschampsia cespitosa, Festuca rubra, Holcus lanatus, Lolium perenne, Phleum pratense, Poa pratensis, Poa trivialis, Schedonorus pratensis, Trisetum flavescens

A14 — Fast flowing river and stream

Myriophyllum alterniflorum community

Isolepis fluitans, Juncus bulbosus, Fontinalis antipyretica, Lobelia dortmanna, Equisetum fluviatile, Myriophyllum alterniflorum, Lemna minor, Callitriche stagnalis, Littorella uniflora, Potamogeton filiformis, Potamogeton gramineus, Potamogeton natans, Ranunculus peltatus, Chara spp., Nitella hyalina

A17 — Chalk river and stream, Fast flowing river and stream

Ranunculus penicillatus ssp. pseudofluitans community

Berula erecta, Nasturtium officinale, Elodea canadensis, Lemna minor, Callitriche stagnalis, Veronica beccabunga, Polygonum amphibium, Polygonum hydropiper, Potamogeton crispus, Potamogeton pectinatus, Ranunculus penicillatus ssp. pseudofluitans

A18 — Fast flowing river and stream

Ranunculus fluitans community

Fontinalis antipyretica, Fontinalis squamosa var. curnowii, Myriophyllum alterniflorum, Myriophyllum spicatum, Elodea canadensis, Mentha aquatica, Lemna gibba, Lemna minor, Potamogeton perfoliatus, Ranunculus fluitans, Glyceria fluitans, Phalaris arundinacea

A9 — Fast flowing river and stream, Marginal and inundation, Pond ditch and canal, Sluggish river and stream

Potamogeton natans community

Schoenoplectus lacustris, Juncus bulbosus, Sparganium angustifolium, Sparganium erectum, Sparganium minimum, Alisma plantago-aquatica, Lobelia dortmanna, Equisetum fluviatile, Myriophyllum alterniflorum, Elodea canadensis, Lemna minor, Lemna trisulca, Nymphaea alba, Callitriche platycarpa, Callitriche stagnalis, Littorella uniflora, Potamogeton natans, Ranunculus trichophyllus, Glyceria fluitans, Chara subspinosa