Click to go to next CCG event

Wed 16 Jan
7.00 pm           

Curry night at the Rushee Restaurant, Settle
It’s bargain curry evening, bring a bottle and a friend. Please confirm with Dave on 01729 841157 by Monday 14th if you wish to come.

Sat 19 Jan
08.30

Bird Watching on the Solway Firth
All day trip to Wildfowl and Wetland Trust’s Caerlaverock National Nature Reserve. Meet at Settle Pool to share transport, bring warm, outdoor gear and lunch. Easy distance and terrain. Please contact Judith Allinson beforehand on 01729 822138

Mon 28 Jan
7.30 pm

Yorkshire Peat Project
Illustrated presentation by Tim Thom, Project Manager with the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust. At Townhead Court (Up the steep hill opposite Settle petrol garage, first building on the right:across the road from Townhead Surgery) in Settle, entrance £3 for non-members and £1 for members. All welcome.

Sat 2 Feb
10.00

Winter moss workshop and walk See more details
Visit to Giggleswick churchyard (SD 811640) with Judith Allinson. Easy distance and terrain. Please contact Judith Allinson 01729 822138 to book.

Mon 11 Feb 7.30 pm

Hay Time in the Forest of Bowland
Illustrated presentation by Sarah Robinson of Yorkshire Dales Millennium Trust and Bowland AONB. At Townhead Court (across the road from Townhead Surgery) in Settle, entrance £2 for non-members and £1 for members. All welcome.

Sat 23 Feb 23 Feb
10.00

Winter Moss workshop and walk See details
Visit to Ingleton churchyard (SD 695733) with Judith Allinson. Easy distance and terrain. Please contact Judith Allinson 01729 822138 to book.

Thurs 7 March
7.30 pm

Planning Meeting
All members are welcome to come along to the Meeting Room at the Friends Meeting House, Settle           

Mon 11 March
7.30 pm

Wild Bee Keeping
Illustrated presentation by Melanie Fryer. At Townhead Court (across the road from Townhead Surgery) in Settle, entrance £3 for non-members and £1 for members. All welcome.

Mon 25
March
7.30 pm

Farm conservation in the Burren
Illustrated presentation by Sharon Parr of the Burren Farm Conservation Programme. At Townhead Court BD24 9HY (across the road from Townhead Surgery) in Settle, entrance £3 for non-members and £1 for members. All welcome. The Burren is an area in western Ireland with lots of limestone pavement - even more pavement than we have in North Yorks/Lancs/Cumria - and there are many special plants there. Last November a group of farmers and conservation workers went from Craven to visit the Burren Farm Conservation Project

Sat 30 March
10.00

Natural history walk on Pen y Ghent - postponed/cancelled due to excivie snow and ice on Pen y Ghent, and to cold weather forcast
To find out if it will be held at a later date contact Judith Allinson

Mon 8 April
7.30 pm

Butterfly conservation in landscape scale projects
Illustrated presentation by Dave Wainwright of Butterfly Conservation. At the Friends' Meeting House, opposite the Victoria Hall, kirkgate, Settle, BD24 9DX entrance £3 for non-members and £1 for members. All welcome.

Sun 28 April

Coppiced woodland and butterflies in Silverdale

Craven Conservation Group will visit the Morcambe Bay limestones as a follow up to Dave Wainwrights' talk on Landscape scale conservation projects [scheduled on the 8th April]. Join Terry Whitaker and Martin Wain looking for Small Pearl Bordered Fritillary and Duke of Burgundy.
The visit will be to Yealand Hall Allotment on Sunday 28 April. The party should arrive by 11:00.  Leaders Terry W and Martin Wain (Please contact TW 015242 62269 in advance).
We will meet at  the wood entrance at Yealand Storrs (SD494761) on the road about 1km east of Leighton Moss Visitors Centre. It is  not far (about 1mile) from Silverdale Station. If anyone  intends to come by train we can arrange collection.
Meet at Settle pool at 10.00 to share transport. Easy distance and terrain. Contact Terry on 015242 62269.

Sat 4 May
10.00 am

Recording walk in the Bentham Area
Enjoy the spring time wildlife and local history on a walk around Bentham with David Fisher. Meet outside the Punchbowl Inn, Low Bentham - cars can be left on the road nearby. Contact David for further details on 015242 61449.     

Thurs 16 May
7.00 pm

Spring Flowers at Greta Wood
Join Mike Canaway to visit this Woodland Trust Reserve alongside the River Greta. Meet at Burton-in-Lonsdale just south of the river bridge on Bentham Moor Road 300m south of its intersection with the A687 (from the A687 take the Bentham sign). Roadside parking is available near the bridge at SD653719. Further information is available on the Woodland Trust web site which gives details of the trees and ground flora. The ground may be wet and uneven in places so boots or wellies are recommended. An easy walk, 2km maximum. Contact information is mikecanaway@gmail.com or 01729 823808.

Wed 5 June
9.30

Hutton Roof Reserve          
Visit this fabulous site with Mike Canaway and Ann Dale. Easy to moderate walk although the route may be changed depending on conditions. Meet at Settle Pool or 10.30 at SD 543783 on Clawthorpe Lane. Bring lunch and clothing suitable for the day.   

Thurs 6 June
7.30 pm           

Planning Meeting
All members are welcome to come along to the Meeting Room at the Friends Meeting House, Settle           

Sun 16 June

Austwick Moss natural history:

Wed 19 June
10.30 am

(Note this was earlier adverstised as on 29 June - but it has been chaged to 19 June)

Botanical recording at Kingsdale Head
After last year's wash-out we will once again visit this interesting area at the head of Kingsdale and hope for better weather. The area consists of upland acidic habitats including heath and mire as well as some disused limestone quarries so an interesting mix of plants should be encountered. The records will eventually contribute to a flora for vice-county 65 similar to Phyl Abbott's Flora of Mid-west Yorkshire which CCG contributed to.  Park near High Moss between Kingsdale and Deepdale where the prominent track joins from the NW at SD723823. The start is at 470m (1540 feet) so bring warm clothing, waterproofs, boots and packed lunch. Contact information is mikecanaway@gmail.com or 01729 823808.

Wednesday 19 June
10.30 am

Botanical recording day at Dent (Note change of date)
The plan is to walk south from Dent and explore Flinters Gill which rises steeply from the village with waterfalls and woodland up to high moorland habitats on the flanks of Crag Hill and Great Coum. Once again a good range of plants should be seen with the records contributing to the vice-county 65 flora. The extent of the walk will depend on conditions on the day and the progress made however bring warm clothing, waterproofs, boots and packed lunch. Meet at the central car park in Dent near SD704871. Contact information is mikecanaway@gmail.com or 01729 823808. (I will check if parking concessions are available nearer the time otherwise a fee may be payable.)

Thurs 20 June

6pm

Keasden Moor Flower Walk
Join Judith and the members of North Craven Heritage Trust discovering the wildflowers of this site. Meet at Keasden Church or call Judith on 01729 822138 for more details.

Sat 27 July
10.00 am

Fungus foray in Clapham Woods
Join Jane Blinkhorn to explore summer fungi in the woods. Meet at Clapham car park for an easy walk.                   

CCG celebrates its 30th birthday

with a Stall at the Tarntastic event -

Where Malham Tarn Field Centre is celebrating 70 years since the founding of the Field Studies Council (The parent organisation of Malham Tarn Field Centre)

There will also be a stall for the Yorkshire Naturalists Union (or maybe a joint CCG YNU stall)

(The inaugural meeting of CCG was actually held at Malham Tarnin November 1983)

Lots of Wildlife Events and guided walks organised by many organisations.

As far as CCG goes: One evening Terry will set the moth traps, and so we can see the moths the following morning.

Sharon and Peter Flint will be leading freshwater biology trips and looking at the creatures caught.

Judith Allinson hopes to be leading both Moss and Wildflower walks

International Bog Day.

Several of the events of Tarntastic involve trips to Malham Tarn Fen and Moss - Thie bog complex is of International importance. (It is a Ramsar Site and National Nature Reserve.)

In most of the bogs in England, the "lagg" - the gradation between bog and ordinary soil has been removed. (for agriculture) -but the fen area that is left at Malham is very impressive.

See insectivorous plants such as sundew, butterwort and bladderwort.

Pond dip in peat pools with pondskaters and ferocious dragonfly nymphs

Listen to meadow pippits and curlew.

There are 33 types of Sphagnum (bogmoss) in the UK and 15 of them can be found at Malham Tarn. (Bogmoss is the moss that grows in pools on bogs that you may fall in if you are not careful. It was dried and used as wound dresssing in the wars)

Fungal Foray

Join Jane Rushworth and Archie McAdam - Meet at Clapham car park at 10:15 a.m. or Settle swimming pool at 10:00 a.m. to share lifts.  All welcome.
Moderate walk please bring walking boots and packed lunch.

Tel: 01729 825997

Sat 10 Aug
10.00 am

Malham Tarn Fen Walk 
Enjoy the plants growing at the fen on an easy walk with Judith Allinson along the National Trust board walk meet at the Quarry car park. 

Wheelchair access. - It is helpful if you book - 01729 822138 so I can find out the requirements of the participants.

Thurs 5 Sept
10.00 am

Bumble bees and haymaking   - Cancelled-      
At Lord’s Pasture with Natural England staff  Andrew Hinde and Tanya St Pierre Meet at Settle Swimming Pool. Please call Andrew on 015242 42021 for more information and to confirm the event

Thurs 12
Sept

Planning Meeting – 2014 Events
All members are welcome to come along to the Meeting Room at the Friends Meeting House, Settle           

Mon 23 September 7.30 pm tbc

Cave life in the Dales
Illustrated talk with Dave Hodgson. At Townhead Court (across the road from Townhead Surgery) in Settle, entrance £3 for non-members and £1 for members. All welcome.

Mon 14 October

The future of tropical forests
Illustrated talk with Dr Tim Baker, University of Leeds. At Townhead Court (across the road from Townhead Surgery) in Settle, entrance £3 for non-members and £1 for members. All welcome.

Thurs 24 Oct
7.30 pm

Planning Meeting – 2014 Committee
All members are welcome to come along to the Meeting Room at the Friends Meeting House, Settle           

Wed Oct 30
10.00 am

Autumn Fungus Foray
Join Archie McAdam and Jane Rushworth for a Fungal Foray, location to be arranged. Meet at Settle Swimming Pool at 10 a.m. to share lifts.

Nov 11 Mon

From my own back yard

Thurs 21 Nov
7.30 pm

Annual General Meeting
All members are welcome to come along to the Meeting Room at the Friends Meeting House.

Kirkby Lonsdale Supporters Branch of Cumbria Wildlife Trust - details from 015242 41155

Yorkshire Naturalists Union (YNU)

Now you can find out about events run by the Yorkshire Naturalists Union (YNU) at their website and by some of the forty or so other natural history societies throughout Yorkshire which are affiliated to the YNU

YNU AGM 2013

Natural England

Conservation working parties in Craven Conservation Group local area:

Skipton Wildlife Watch Group
(Contact Ann Gill, telephone 01943 830215, for further details. These meets are especially suitable for families and children) Other committee members are at: 01756 796967 and 01756 753176

Yorkshire Wildlife Trust

Grassington Coffee Morning - Grass Wood Sat Feb 18 2012 coffee morning- 10.00am - 12.00 noon
Church House, Grassington. on the Square.


Grass Wood Work Party Days

01756 753056

The YWT Grass Wood Management committee is also looking to add a few names to the list of volunteers who warden the wood during summer weekends. If you are interested, please contact Chris Alder

For all the dates shown please meet at 09.30 at the Quarry Car Park off Grass Wood Lane (NGR 985652), unless directed otherwise. The location of the work site will be shown on the reverse side of the YWT notice board for those that arrive later in the day.

Regular volunteers are reminded to bring the tools with which they were issued. A limited range of tools can be loaned to irregulars. Robust working clothes, and lunch for a full day (weather permitting), are also required.

The exact nature of the work will depend on conditions, the number of volunteers present, and the results of contractor's activities. More than one working party may be formed on the day, depending upon priorities and opportunities.

All volunteers are asked to be mindful of health and safety issues and our collective responsibility to each other when working. Do not hesitate to ask questions if there are aspects of our work that you would like explained further or that concern you.

Weblinks you may like

Bradford Botany Group

Rainforest-save.blogspot.com - Judith (webeditors) blog on raising money to save wildlife habitats

North Craven Herigate Trust - Good articles in past issues.

North Craven Historical Research Group - Giggleswick Scar Project

Tony Dilger Photography - TG is a CCG member. Good photos

Conservation and church

Craven Speakers Club, Skipton -

English names of mosses

Friends of Dales Rail

Identifying molluscs- eay online key to garden slugs and snails

Yorkshire Dales National Park Biodiversity Action Plan

Craven District Council Local Biodiversity Action Plan (outside YDNP)

Corio Raptor Care - Providing Care for Sick and Injured Birds of Prey

Harlequin ladybird survey - News- A new ladybird has arrived in Britain . But not just any ladybird: this is the harlequin ladybird, Harmonia axyridis , the most invasive ladybird on Earth.- Look out for sightings in Craven as it comes north.

Sites that link to us:

Horon-in-Ribblesdale Parish website

Wharfedale Naturalists