Lower Wensleydale

Based at the Aysgarth Falls National Park Centre, Lower Wensleydale Area Ranger Nigel Metcalfe manages one of the busiest visitor sites in the north of the Yorkshire Dales National Park.

His area includes Coverdale, Walden and Bishopdale.

The role of Access Ranger Paul Sheehan in Lower Wensleydale involves the maintenance and improvement of public rights of way ie stiles, bridges, gates, and surfacing.

Paul is also involved in the management of two Local Nature Reserves: Ballowfields (unimproved grassland) and Freeholders Wood (coppice woodland and unimproved meadow ).

The work is carried out by Paul, assisted by many different groups including volunteers, contractors apprentices and work experience students.

Projects

Disher Falls Bridge
Access Rangers Paul Sheehan and Ian Broadwith with the assistance of the Ragged Robin Group - local conservation volunteers who assist the National Park Authority with many practical tasks - have just completed a seven metre span bridleway bridge above Woodhall in Wensleydale. It will save walkers and cyclists getting their feet wet, especially in the winter months when the beck is in flood. The bridge has been designed to carry horses and bicycles as well as pedestrians.

Castle Bolton wall
Another project that the Ragged Robin and our own Dales Volunteers have been undertaking over the summer months is the rebuilding of a 45 metre section of the boundary wall around the Authority’s Castle Bolton Car Park. They have rebuilt the wall in sections using the existing stone on site.  

Carlton Moor Bridleway
Contractors working for the Ranger Service have repaired 290 metres of damaged bridleway.  They used a tracked excavator to form a subsoil path by removing the mineral soil and placing it on top of the topsoil. This creates a surfaced track using materials on site. The sides of the path were reprofiled and turfed to allow water to drain away and the surface was seeded with a grass mixture.

Contact details

Nigel Metcalfe
Lower Wensleydale Area Ranger
Aysgarth Falls National Park Centre
Aysgarth Falls
Leyburn
North Yorkshire
DL8 3TH

01969 662913