Bridestones Moor

The National Trust’s rare area of heather moorland just north of Dalby Forest. Rare because it is not intensively managed unlike most of the rest of heather moorlands on the North York Moors which are managed for one purpose only, that is to maximise the breeding of grouse for shooting, in spite of having the designation of Sites of Special Scientific Interest. But Bridestones does need some management. If it was left to nature birch, alder, rowan and other fast-growing trees would gradually become dominant. This is the natural succession eventually maturing into what would be a predominately oak woodland. So a winter task is to cut down any new saplings leaving a scattering of trees of various ages. The two dark green trees in the photo are self-seeded escapees from the neighbouring coniferous plantations of Dalby Forest. They will definitely have to come out.