Southerscales

Location: Near Chapel-le-Dale, Twisleton Glen

Grid reference: SD741765

Southerscales is a nature reserve managed by the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust within Ingleborough National Nature Reserve. It is protected as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), a Special Area of Conservation (SAC) and by a Limestone Pavement Order (LPO). Southerscales is situated on part of the western flank of Ingleborough, one of the famous Three Peaks of the Yorkshire Dales National Park. This site is one of the best places to see several habitats and their associated species. For example, on the limestone pavement you may see baneberry, rigid buckler-fern and limestone fern in the grikes and occasionally alpine cinquefoil on the clint tops. In the small base-rich wetlands you may see bird’s-eye primrose, on the blanket bog you may see bilberry, deergrass and Sphagnum mosses, and the calcareous grassland is species-rich too.

The public right of way from the village of Chapel-le-Dale to the summit of Ingleborough passes through Southerscales nature reserve. This is part of the Three Peaks walk route. The nature reserve is entirely within Open Access land.