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| *****SWAAG_ID***** | 707 |
| Date Entered | 24/03/2013 |
| Updated on | 25/03/2013 |
| Recorded by | Tim Laurie |
| Category | Tree Site Record |
| Record Type | Botanical HER |
| Site Access | Public Access Land |
| Location | On west facing cliff above the eastern side of Swinnergill |
| Civil Parish | Muker |
| Brit. National Grid | NY 9129 0102 |
| Altitude | 470m |
| Geology | Exposed strata at or just below the Crow Limestone |
| Record Name | Swinnergill. The highest recorded yew in Britain |
| Record Description | CLIFF YEW. This isolated yew tree grows on the top edge of a high scar or cliff above the eastern side of Swinnergill.
At 470m AOD this yew is at the highest recorded limit of yew in Britain (Pearmain,D.A. and Corner,R.W.M. 2003. Altitudinal Limit of British and Irish Vascular Plants.) The existing recorded highest yew is also 470m AOD at Purple Mountain, Co Kerry, Ireland.
However the previous record is on the far more congenial western, atlantic side of Britain.
Conditions on this west facing NE Pennine cliff are much more continental and extreme.
The girth of this self or wind coppicing tree is 2.5m and the rate of growth at this altitude and exposure conditions will be extremely slow.
The exposed root system indicates loss of the cliff face from expansion of the yew tree roots which were originally within the rock face. |
| Dimensions | 2.5mgirth |
| Geographical area | Upper Swaledale |
| Species | Yew |
| Scientific Name | Taxus baccata |
| Common / Notable Species | Rowan the only other tree here. |
| Tree and / or Stem Girth | 2.5m |
| Tree: Position / Form / Status | Cliff tree. Isolated. |
| Image 1 ID | 4271 Click image to enlarge |
| Image 1 Description | Telephoto of Swinnergill from Kisdon. The Swinnergill Yew is the isolated yew at the top right of the photo. |  |
| Image 2 ID | 4272 Click image to enlarge |
| Image 2 Description | Telephoto of Swinnergill from Kisdon. The Swinnergill Yew is the isolated yew at the top centre of this photo. |  |
| Image 3 ID | 4273 Click image to enlarge |
| Image 3 Description | The Swinnergill Yew is on a low cliff above the footpath. |  |
| Image 4 ID | 4274 Click image to enlarge |
| Image 4 Description | The Swinnergill Yew is on a low cliff above the footpath. |  |
| Image 5 ID | 4275 Click image to enlarge |
| Image 5 Description | The Swinnergill Yew. Detail of the self coppiced trunks and exposed root. |  |
| Image 6 ID | 4276 Click image to enlarge |
| Image 6 Description | The Swinnergill Yew. Detail of the self coppiced trunks and exposed root. |  |
| Image 7 ID | 4277 Click image to enlarge |
| Image 7 Description | The Swinnergill Yew is on a low cliff above the footpath. View southward. |  |
