Bride Stones
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Condition (Natural England)
| Unit | Feature | Condition | Area (ha) | Assessed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SE870915 | — | Unfavourable Declining | 39.69 | 2024-03-04 |
| SE874913 | — | Unfavourable Declining | 81.72 | 2024-03-04 |
Climate exposure
This is about exposure to a nationwide pressure this habitat type carries — not a verdict on this site's own management.
Peat habitats store centuries of carbon and depend on a stable, waterlogged water table. Warmer, drier summers dry out peat, making it far more vulnerable to wildfire and to carbon release — a pressure that can undo years of restoration work regardless of how well the site is otherwise managed.
Habitats
Geology & landscape
Geological Period: Jurassic
Landscape processes: Peatland / Mire
Description
Description The Bride Stones are a famous series of isolated stacks consisting of silicified portions of the sandy Passage Beds of the Hambleton Oolite Corallian, Jurassic, formed by differential weathering. The rocks have a crevice flora which includes black spleenwort Asplenium adiantum-nigrum, which is rare in the county and wall rue Asplenium ruta-muraria. The stones are surrounded by moorland which grades into woodland to the south. Heather Calluna vulgaris dominates the moorland, although bracken Pteridium aquilinum covers many slopes, particularly those along the becks. To the north and in flatter areas, damp conditions support species such as cross leaved heath Erica tetralix, hare's tail cotton grass Eriophorum vaginatum and common cotton grass Eriophorum angustifolium. On drier moorland, bilberry Vaccinium myrtillus, cowberry Vaccinium vitis-idaea and crowberry Empetrum nigrum occur together with various mosses and lichens. rowan Sorbus aucuparia is spreading from some of the stream sides and part of the moorland is being colonised by birch Betula sp. Dovedale Wood in the south west is an acidic oak Quercus petraea woodland with a ground flora of wavy hair grass Deschampsia flexuosa and bilberry. The southern edge of the site consists of similar oak woodland, but there is also coniferous species present. Woodland along the becks is mixed but in general is dominated by birch and rowan with some oak, aspen Populus tremula, holly Ilex aquifolium and alder Alnus glutinosa. Ferns and bryophytes feature in the ground flora and opposite leaved golden saxifrage Chrysosplenium oppositifolium occurs on wet ledges and flushes. Other Information 1. During the 1983 revision the boundary has been extended. 2. The site is managed by the Yorkshire Naturalists' Trust as a nature reserve. * Under Section 23 of the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act, 1949.
Species mentioned
Show the 17 species mentioned in the description, with red-list statusPlant communities
A9 — Fast flowing river and stream, Marginal and inundation, Pond ditch and canal, Sluggish river and stream
Potamogeton natans community
Show 20 indicator speciesSchoenoplectus 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
A14 — Fast flowing river and stream
Myriophyllum alterniflorum community
Show 15 indicator speciesIsolepis 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
Show 11 indicator speciesBerula 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
Show 12 indicator speciesFontinalis 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
W25 — Bracken scrub
Pteridium aquilinum-Rubus fruticosus underscrub
Show 53 indicator speciesHedera helix, Acer pseudoplatanus, Fagus sylvatica, Quercus robur, Fraxinus excelsior, Sambucus nigra, Ulex europaeus, Crataegus monogyna, Prunus spinosa, Luzula multiflora, Mnium hornum, Brachythecium rutabulum, Kindbergia praelonga, Angelica sylvestris, Conopodium majus, Heracleum sphondylium, Arum maculatum, Cirsium arvense, Lonicera periclymenum, Silene dioica, Stellaria holostea, Mercurialis perennis, Geranium robertianum, Glechoma hederacea, Teucrium scorodonia, Hyacinthoides non-scripta, Chamerion angustifolium, Circaea lutetiana, Digitalis purpurea, Rumex acetosa, Anemone nemorosa, Ficaria verna, Potentilla erecta, Rosa arvensis, Rosa canina, Rubus fruticosus agg., Rubus idaeus, Galium aparine, Galium mollugo sens.lat., Galium saxatile, Urtica dioica, Viola riviniana, Agrostis capillaris, Anthoxanthum odoratum, Arrhenatherum elatius, Dactylis glomerata, Festuca rubra, Holcus lanatus, Holcus mollis, Poa trivialis, Pteridium aquilinum, Dryopteris dilatata, Dryopteris filix-mas