Close

This site uses cookies. No personal data is stored. You can read how we use them in our cookies policy. Continuing on this site accepts their use. Thankyou.

Viewing swaag.org website implies consent to set cookies on your computer. Full details Swaledale and Arkengarthdale Archaeology Group
Registered Charitable Incorporated Organisation Number 1155775
SWAAG Honorary President:
Tim Laurie F,S,A,

Another Search

Scroll down the record
 *****SWAAG_ID***** 883
 Date Entered 24/07/2015
 Updated on 26/07/2015
 Recorded by Tim Laurie
 Category Geographical Record
 Record Type General HER
 Record Date 18/07/2015
 Location Upper Wensleydale. Thwaite Bridge and Mossdale.
 Civil Parish Hawes
 Brit. National Grid SD 8261 9224
 Altitude 276m
 Geology Glacial Drift over sandstones, shales and limestones below the Main Limestone.
 Record Name A walk from Thwaite Bridge to The Mossdale Tunnel on the abandonned Wensleydale Railway to the Mossdale Waterfalls
 Record Description This walk will provide a photographic record of an interesting walk from Thwaite Bridge to the Mossdale Tunnel, which while only 245m in length, was one of the most difficult and expensive sections of the Wensleydale Railway to construct , costing £40.000. From the Railway we recorded the vegetation and relict woodland seen within Mossdale Gill and within the higher waterfall ravines. This area is pathless and seldom visited.
 Additional Notes These gentle landscapes, the higher reaches of Upper Wensledale, provide an easy access across the National Divide, at an elevation of just 312m at the Moorcock Inn, to Sedbergh through Garsdale and to the Vale of Eden throgh Mallerstang and are very different from their equivalent landscapes above Keld in Upper Swaledale, which lead over Birkdale Common to Mallerstang Edge.
 Image 1 ID 6305         Click image to enlarge
 Image 1 Description Thwaite Bridge with large colony of Melancholy Thistle. The walk commenced from here.
 Image 2 ID 6306         Click image to enlarge
 Image 2 Description Marsh Orchid. One of the many variants and in good form in the species-rich road verges.
 Image 3 ID 6307         Click image to enlarge
 Image 3 Description Marsh Orchid.
 Image 4 ID 6308         Click image to enlarge
 Image 4 Description The Mossdale Tunnel, eastern entrance.
 Image 5 ID 6309         Click image to enlarge
 Image 5 Description The Mossdale Tunnel, approach to the western exit entrance.
 Image 6 ID 6310         Click image to enlarge
 Image 6 Description The Mossdale Tunnel, western entrance.
 Image 7 ID 6311         Click image to enlarge
 Image 7 Description The bed of the abandoned railway continues towards Garstang.
 Image 8 ID 6312         Click image to enlarge
 Image 8 Description Mossdale Gill Head. Relict woodland with aspens visible on the low cliff at the head of the Gill below the conifer plantation
 Image 9 ID 6313         Click image to enlarge
 Image 9 Description The relict woodland with hollies,rowan, aspen,sallows and downy birch on the ravine cliffs contrasts with the conifer plantation.
 Image 10 ID 6314         Click image to enlarge
 Image 10 Description Relict woodland, Mossdale Gill
 Image 11 ID 6334         Click image to enlarge
 Image 11 Description Rowans are the only tree higher up at the Falls on Routing Gill
 Image 12 ID 6315         Click image to enlarge
 Image 12 Description Recording the species rich native woodland at the head of Mossdale Gill.
 Image 13 ID 6316         Click image to enlarge
 Image 13 Description Aspens in relict woodland on low sandstone cliff at the head of Mossdale Gill.
 Image 14 ID 6317         Click image to enlarge
 Image 14 Description Deep pool and low fall on Mossdale Beck
 Image 15 ID 6318         Click image to enlarge
 Image 15 Description Witches brooms on a Downy Birch tree at the head of Mossdale Gill.
 Image 16 ID 6319         Click image to enlarge
 Image 16 Description Detail of aspen with Hard Fern (Blechnum spicant)on low sandstone cliff at the head of Mossdale Gill.
 Image 17 ID 6321         Click image to enlarge
 Image 17 Description Native woodland on cliff below larch plantation
 Image 18 ID 6320         Click image to enlarge
 Image 18 Description Recording moorland vegetation higher up Mossdale Gill.
 Image 19 ID 6323         Click image to enlarge
 Image 19 Description Recording vegetation with Lemon Scented Fern on low shale cliff overlies the limestone in the bed of the stream, Routing Gill.
 Image 20 ID 6324         Click image to enlarge
 Image 20 Description Recording vegetation with Lemon Scented Fern on low shale cliff overlies the limestone in the bed of the stream, Routing Gill.
 Image 21 ID 6325         Click image to enlarge
 Image 21 Description Lemon Scented Fern, detail
 Image 22 ID 6326         Click image to enlarge
 Image 22 Description Ancient wind blown hollies and rowan on low sandstone cliff.
 Image 23 ID 6327         Click image to enlarge
 Image 23 Description Time to stop for lunch below the lower falls. Stone mine adit visible on opposite bank.
 Image 24 ID 6328         Click image to enlarge
 Image 24 Description Carpeting thyme is the most prominent flower on the stream gravels.
 Image 25 ID 6329         Click image to enlarge
 Image 25 Description The lower falls on Routing Beck. Rowan and downy birch the trees here.
 Image 26 ID 6330         Click image to enlarge
 Image 26 Description Foxgloves in their prime by the stream
 Image 27 ID 6331         Click image to enlarge
 Image 27 Description Foxgloves in their prime by the stream
 Image 28 ID 6332         Click image to enlarge
 Image 28 Description Washfold on Routing Gill
 Image 29 ID 6333         Click image to enlarge
 Image 29 Description Washfold on Routing Gill
 Image 30 ID 6335         Click image to enlarge
 Image 30 Description Glacial till or boulder clay exposed by stream erosion directly overlies the limestone bed of Routing Gill.
 
Another Search