The North York Moors National Park and Yorkshire’s great moorlands are beautiful landscapes. They teem with flowering heather at the height of summer.
Bounded by Saltburn , Middlesbrough, Stokesley, Thirsk, Malton and finally back to the sea at Scarborough, check out the wonders of North York Moors National Park.
Ideal for walking or roaming, the moors have 1400 miles of paths and tracks to explore. Too many waymarks and signs can be intrusive so Park authorities claim to ‘try to use them sparingly, especially on open moorland where posts can spoil the very quality of remoteness and isolation which visitors cherish.’
The Ordnance Survey Explorer maps for North Yorkshire Moor areas are updated every 3 years including new bridleways. path diversions and field boundaries; SHEET OL26 covers the western half of the National Park and SHEET OL27 the eastern half.
Gorse tends to grow in dry scrubby soil and we do not have as many of those conditions in Yorkshire. However there are many spots where you can see this wild shrub in flower during winter.
Gorse often features on the slopping edge of moorland and roadside locations near our many reservoirs.
There is also a cliff top patch at Primrose Valley to scratch and spear the unwary who venture too close to the Gorse.
Heather looks good in garden situations and is a very popular form of ground cover.
This patch was spotted at Golden Acre Park near Leeds. They have a large heather collection and special area on the Bramhope side of the garden.
Other features at Golden Acre include Limestone and Sandstone Rock Gardens, Heather, Bog and Late Season borders but is most famous locally for the large pond and wild fowl that children love to feed.
Download North Yorkshire National Park Brochure pdf
Read more about Gorse
Pingback: Not Only Scotland Grows Great Heather | Gardeners Tips