Cropton Banks and Howlgate Head Woods

Also within

North Yorkshire County NORTH YORK MOORS National Park

Condition (Natural England)

Habitats

Coppiced woodland, Fast flowing river and stream

Geology & landscape

Geological Period: Jurassic · Rock Type: Limestone

Birds & fish recorded

Birds

Description

Description Cropton Banks and Howlgate Head Woods occupy steep valley sides on Jurassic limestone above the River Severn. Oak Quercus robur, wych elm Ulmus glabra, ash Fraxinus excelsior and birch Betula pendula are all locally dominant in the canopy, their relative abundance possibly reflecting past management. Thus Cropton Banks appears to have been hazel Corylus avellana coppice with oak standards, whereas standard trees are scarce in Howlgate Head Wood. hazel, hawthorn Crataegus monogyna and holly Ilex aquifolium are common throughout the shrub layer, with occasional guelder rose Viburnum opulus, field maple Acer campestre and bramble Rubus fruticosus agg. The woods are strongly influenced by the underlying limestone. Pockets of deeper soil support more acidophilous vegetation but bilberry Vaccinium myrtillus and wood rush Luzula sylvatica, but most of the woodland is carpeted by dog's mercury Mercurialis perennis, bluebell Hyacinthoides non-scripta and wood anemone Anemone nemorosa, with ramsons Allium ursinum where the soil is deeper, generally on the lower slopes. Species of note in the rich ground flora include several colonies of herb paris Paris quadrifolia, wild daffodil Narcissus pseudonarcissus, columbine Aquilegia vulgaris, lily of the valley Convallaria majalis, wood buttercup Ranunculus auricomus and mountain melick Melica nutans. Birds recorded from the site include wood warbler, blackcap and garden warbler.

Species mentioned

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.

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