Fairy Call Beck

Site of Special Scientific Interest · 54.3028, -0.9094

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Also within

North Yorkshire County NORTH YORK MOORS National Park

Condition (Natural England)

Favourable (2)
UnitFeatureConditionArea (ha)Assessed
SE710901 — Favourable 1.72 2009-11-10
SE712904 — Favourable 1.72 2009-11-10

Climate exposure

This is about exposure to a nationwide pressure this habitat type carries — not a verdict on this site's own management.

Coastal

Coastal habitats are exposed to sea-level rise and storm erosion. Where hard sea defences sit behind them, there's nowhere landward to retreat to — a squeeze that keeps compressing the habitat no matter how well it's managed.

Habitats

Fast flowing river and stream

Geology & landscape

Rock Type: Limestone

Landscape processes: Coastal

Description

Description The stream section from Fairystones Bridge southwards towards Hutton le Hole provides the best and most complete section through the Callovian rocks of the Tabular Hills. The sediments seen here differ significantly from those seen on the coast around Scarborough and comparison of the two areas allows reconstructions of the depositional environments to be made. The rocks are frequently very fossiliferous and are used as the standard reference section in the western part of the Yorkshire depositional basin. The sequence commences with the Lower Callovian Abbotsbury Cornbrash Formation, 'Cornbrash Limestone' which is overlain by the Cayton Clay Formation, 'Shales of the Cornbrash' and the Osgodby Formation comprising the Redcliff Rock, Langdale and Hackness Rock Members. Very fossiliferous 'Cornbrash' occurs in the stream bed and banks immediately north of Fairystones Bridge and the remainder of the sequence is exposed in river cliffs below the bridge. The Redcliff Rock Kellaways Rock of authors consists of a 15 metre sequence of variable sandstones, with a rich fauna in the upper part, overlain unconformably by 12 metres of very sparsely fossiliferous sandy shales and flaggy sandstones of the Langdale Member. The Hackness Rock Member rests unconformably on the Langdale Member, and comprises two metres of calcareous shales and sandy limestones with fossils characteristic of the Upper Callovian. The Hackness Rock Member is overlain by the Oxford Clay. Comparison of the detailed rock sequence seen here with that on the coast around Scarborough show that depositional environments fluctuated rapidly during Callovian times in the North Yorkshire area. Detailed study here provides evidence of depositional patterns within the Yorkshire basin. Other Information 1. This lies within the North York Moors National Park. 2. The site is listed as of national importance in the Geological Conservation Review.

Plant communities

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

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