Brayton Barff Through the Seasons.
Set in the Vale of York, South West of the market town of Selby and between the villages of Thorpe Willoughby and Brayton, lies Brayton Barff, a sandstone Hill approximately one hundred and fifty feet in height which was formed by glacial movement during the last Ice Age. It is a significant landmark in an otherwise flat landscape.
Today the site is primarily owned by Yorkshire Water with Selby District Council owning a small patch of the land adjacent to the A63 Selby bypass. A large underground reservoir occupies the centre of the site which delivers water to around 4.7 million customers throughout Yorkshire.
Within the Barff woodland over 40% of the trees are Sessile Oak which are generally found in semi natural woodlands in the north of the country. These trees are so called because its acorns are not held on stalks, like those of the English Oak (Pedunculate), but attached directly to the outer twigs. There are also several English Oak trees as well as some cross-hybrid oaks. These trees are known to support many species of flora and fauna, invertebrates, mosses, lichen and fungi.
During the Victorian times it is thought that the shipbuilders on the east coast would come over to the Barff for selected cuts of timber to build their sea going vessels.
The Barff also has a variety of other trees including Silver Birch, Beech, Sycamore, Holly, Rowan, Scots Pine, Alder, Hawthorne and European Larch. There are also several Yew, Willow, Hazel, Horse Chestnut and Wych Elm. As with similar woodlands there are a variety of bushes, including Honeysuckle, Elderberry, Gorse, Broom and Buddleia.
The history of Brayton Barff is quite vague, apparently during 1803 a beacon was lit on the Barff when the country was threatened with an invasion by Napoleon. In May 1935, to celebrate King George V's Silver Jubilee, a Bonfire was lit on the Barff as part of the celebrations.
Early issues of Ordnance Survey Maps dated 1903 clearly show a rifle range on the Barff, extending out to Mill Lane. During the 
Second World War 1939-1945 a Prisoner of War Camp was built on the site. Today, nothing is left of these buildings less some areas to the South and West of the Barff where some of the brick foundations may be seen.
Between 2001 – 2004 the A63 Selby bypass, 10km twin lane single carriageway was constructed which severed the South West corner of the Barff, adjacent to Selby Golf Course and resulted in a slight redesign of several holes on the golf course. Wooden fencing was erected as a result of this new road running alongside of the Barff and a footbridge constructed over the ‘new road’ following the line of the Bridal way which extends from Mill Lane. Around 2005/2006 a definite 2metre wide limestone aggregate footpath was laid forming a circular path around the outer edges of the woodland. This footpath is approximately 1.2 miles in length and takes about 30 minutes to circumnavigate at a leisurely pace.
In 2012 the Barff was declared an Ancient Oak Woodland and as such throughout 2012 and 2013 significant work had been carried out by the relevant agencies to cut and remove large swathes of non-native trees, creating at that time huge scars on the landscape. Some three years later the planting of the native trees have become well established and are flourishing. Ongoing maintenance work on the footpath around the bottom of the Barff was completed during the Summer of 2016.
A second phase of woodland maintenance commenced during the Autumn of 2019 with the removal of many old and diseased trees and the cutting back of the Gorse and Broom bushes, especially adjacent to the ‘bypass trail’, this work continued through till March 2020 with re planting continuing into April 2020.
Brayton Barff is a popular site for walkers and bird watchers alike and a path circling the outer perimeter of the Barff makes a pleasant thirty minute walk, giving views looking over towards Selby and the village of Brayton as well as the power stations of Drax and Eggborough..jpg)
For the early risers it is a great place to see some stunning sunrises over the villages of Brayton looking towards Drax Power Station, the same with the Sunsets looking over towards Eggborough and Monk Fryston.
The Barff changes with the Seasons and every visit can reveal something new, the woodland is a haven for wildlife. Records show that since 1982 one hundred and twelve species of bird have been seen in the woodland and at least 40 of those have bred here, including Tawny Owl, Buzzard, Green Woodpecker, Spotted Flycatcher, Goldcrest and Nuthatch to name just a few. On average over 70 species of bird are recorded each year. Further details of the bird life on the Barff can be found on the Brayton Barff Group Facebook page, especially the posts from Derek Cooper. Today ‘The Friends of Brayton Barff group’ led by Derek and a small team of volunteers help keep and maintain the cleanliness of the site as well as recording the wildlife and bird sightings.
The Barff is also home to fifteen different species of mammals, including Muntjac Deer, Pipistrelle Bat, Fox, and Field Vole.
Over eighty species of plant and wildflowers have been recorded, included Bee Orchid, Northern Marsh Orchid, Wood Anemone, Marsh Ragwort, Bluebell, White Bluebell, Bittersweet and Purple and White Foxgloves. Over twenty species of Butterfly have been recorded, including Marbled White, Brown Angus, Speckled Wood, Comma and Brimstone.
During the Autumnal months fungi thrives in this woodland environment, species including Fly Agaric, Beefsteak Tree Fungi, Chicken of the Wood, Sulphur Tufts, Stinkhorn, Ink cap, Puffballs and Hoof Bracket are just some of the many varieties that can be found here.
Click on the galleries shown below to expand the albums.
Thursday 23rd November 2017
I had an early start this morning, and was out with Meg & Gracie for 6.30am, it was a cold start to the day with a light touch of overnight frost. It was quite dark but the sky was beginning to break as we walked onto the Barff. My breath was reflecting in my headlamp for a while as we made our way up the hill, Meg & Gracie have just got some new collar lamps which I switched on as we headed into the trees, the blue light from Megs collar is quite bright and blinding when she is close to me to such an extent I cannot see where I am walking and once or twice I got twanged on the side of my face by a stray tree branch as I brushed through the undergrowth. It was nice to hear a pair of Tawny Owls calling to each other on the top of the Barff, their call reverberating through the trees. Unfortunately I disturbed some Wood Pigeons and Crows which sounded as they were not happy as we walked underneath them, making quite an aggressive noise as they flew off before returning to their roosts once we had passed them. The track that I follow is still really muddy at the moment and doesn’t seem to be drying out at all, though with all the rain we have been having of late I am not surprised. It was nice to get home for breakfast and a change of clothes.
After breakfast it was back to work as I continued writing and editing some pictures for a book that I’m putting together on the Gardone Riveara, I cannot believe it was twelve weeks ago since we were there, where has that time gone? As lunch time approached, the sun was shining outside, there was a lovely blue sky and I needed a break from the computer so before lunch decided to take M & G for another walk onto the Barff with the camera. The Autumnal colours have been quite stunning of late and this last couple of weeks have been at their best. Needless to say that by the time we arrived the sun had disappeared behind the cloud and the sky had turned grey! Fortunately after about thirty minutes the sun had burnt off the cloud and we had a really pleasant walk. The Nuthatches were busy calling to each other in several places around the woodland, Chaffinches and Robins appeared to be everywhere, the chaffinches quite noticeable by the two white flashes on their sides and the Robins because they are quite cheeky and inquisitive and seem to follow me no matter where I am on the Barff. It was good to hear the Dunnocks singing their heads off, I love watching and listening this little bird, I see them mainly at the reserve at Fairburn but it was good to see them here in the mid-morning light. I could hear several Goldcrests today too, needless to say I had difficulty spotting them which is made a little harder as I had the dogs with me. After about ninety minutes we headed for home and lunch. It was a beautiful walk especially in the sunshine and the added bonus of the Autumnal colours.
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