A short clip of a hay meadow in full bloom in Upper Wensleydale.

Hay meadows are an iconic feature of the English countryside and are of great agricultural importance, providing farmers with food for their livestock during the winter months as well as ecological importance.

Upland hay meadows are characterised by a suite of species including sweet vernal-grass, wood crane’s-bill, pignut, great burnet and lady`s mantles. They also provide an important feeding habitat for a wide range of bird and insect life.

The Yorkshire Dales National Park contains a large proportion of the national upland hay meadow habitat. It is centred around Langstrothdale, Ribblesdale, Swaledale and Arkengarthdale. In addition, the nationally rare plants lesser butterfly-orchid, burnt orchid, montane eyebright and small-white orchid also grow in or in close association with this habitat.

свернуть