Additional information
Terrain
- Mix of tarmac tracks and sandy paths, occasionally muddy; no stiles
Landscape
- Lowland heath and woodland surrounded by rich farmland
Dog friendliness
- Dogs can be off lead most of the way, but beware grazing stock
Parking
- National Nature Reserve car park at the end of King Rudding Lane, off A19 near Riccall
Toilets en route
- None on route
About the walk
Skipwith’s 677 acres (274ha) are one of the last remaining areas of lowland heath in northern England. This is a rare example of a landscape that was once widespread, but it differs in several significant ways. It’s lowland rather than upland, and enjoys a somewhat drier climate. It also has a very... different history, having been used as an airfield during World War II. Like most of our landscapes, lowland heath is not a natural environment – left to itself, it would revert to forest. Its preservation relies on controlled grazing. A century ago, when it was grazed regularly, the entire common was virtually free of trees. Most of the trees which now cover much of the site are birch, typically one of the first species to colonise new habitat. This is particularly evident in the areas regrowing since their use in wartime. Today, under the auspices of Natural England and the Escrick Estate, carefully managed grazing is once again part of the cycle of life on the land, and more of the trees will be cleared in the future. Longhorn cattle (formidable looking but generally docile), Hebridean sheep and Exmoor ponies all play a part alongside wild roe and fallow deer. The heathland offers habitats to a wide range of wildlife, and Skipwith Common is noted for its insects and birds; grass snakes and adders are both present too. The underlying soil is peat-based, but the wartime runways were laid on a bed of limestone chippings, creating unexpected diversity in a mix of acid and alkaline soils. The damper parts of the common foster an impressive population of dragonflies. Around 20 species of dragonfly and damselfly have been recorded, including the emperor dragonfly and brown hawker, both of which have a wing span of up to 5 inches (120mm). More colourful species include the ruddy darter, with its bright red abdomen, and the azure damselfly, which has an electric-blue body. Birds regularly seen here include several varieties of warbler, including blackcaps and whitethroats. Undoubtedly the most spectacular species to look out for is the red kite (see What to See). Skipwith Common has revealed evidence of human habitation from 6000 bc through Bronze and Iron Age times to the last century. There is little evidence of this history on the ground, but you can’t miss the traces of its role in World War II. These include the remains of a runway at the start of the walk, and tumbledown buildings lurking among the trees and scrub later on. This was RAF Riccall, a training base for bomber pilots who mostly flew four-engined Halifax aircraft. When the Common was declared a National Nature Reserve in 2010, the ceremony was marked by a fly-past by a vintage Spitfire aircraft. The area around the memorial, also unveiled in 2010, was used for bomb storage.
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