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Over 500 tonnes of Stone Flags airlifted by Helicopter on Ilkley Moor

Over 500 tonnes of stone flags have been airlifted into place by helicopter on Ilkley Moor. They have been for part two of thefootpath improvement/erosion restoration work on the Moor.

Danny Jackson, Countryside & Rights of Way Manager for Bradford Council, said “Following on from last year’s work when some 300 tonnes of flag stones were airlifted onto Ilkley Moor, and again part of the Watershed Landscape Heritage Lottery Funded project (overseen by Pennine Prospects) and supported by The Friends of Ilkley Moor. The aim is to lay the flags on strategic routes on Ilkley Moor and prevent further damage to sensitive habitats.

The stone flags have been weighed, banded into pallets, transported onto the edge of the moor and airlifted into place by helicopter. About 500 tonnes have been lifted – one load going to the trig point and eastwards to the Dick Hudsons path near the Twelve Apostles, the other west to Crawshaw Moss near Rivock Edge conifer plantation. We plan to get the flags laid by the end of October. We may also fly in some of the stones to one or two areas identified by The Friends of Ilkley Moor and for the construction of a seat at the ruined lodge at the top of Backstone Beck.”

From Barry Wilkinson, Press Officer, The Friends of Ilkley Moor – Mobile 07831-505051.

For more information contact Danny Jackson Mobile 07582-102103.

See menu item ‘News & Press’, ‘Read Full Story’ to see a sketch map of flagging activity.

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Moorland Flower & Plants Walk

(Photograph of some of the party with Bruce Brown)

Good weather helped to make a successful Friends of Ilkley Moor moorland flower and plants walk. The ninth event in this years Events & Learning Programme, the walk led by Bruce Brown from the Wharfedale Naturalist Society, covered detailed information of flowers on the moor – lesser spearwort, marsh violet, heather, bilberry, crowberry and many more.

Ferns, Grasses, Rushes, Sedges, Shrubs and Mosses were also inspected. One of the more interesting was Sphagnum Moss which holds water 25 times it’s weight and helps to prevent flooding in the valleys. Also, historically, it was used in healing as an absorbent and antiseptic dressing.

Information about future events are available in the friends Events & Learning Programme which can be downloaded from this website or copies can be collected from the Information Office in the Town.

For further information contact Tracy Gray FOIM Project Officer 07854-447947

Photograph of some of the party with Bruce Brown from the Wharfedale Naturalist Society.

Photographs by Barry Wilkinson/Friends of Ilkley Moor.

NB. Landscape benefits of blanket bogs: storage of water and carbon: help with flood risk management in the lowlands by holding rain water; drainage of the uplands dries out the blanket bog habitat and causes water flows in the streams and rivers contributing to floods.

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Work Has Started To Restore Damage to Moor

After damage done during filming of Emmerdale TV soap, restoration work has begun to re-surface the track from opposite the Cow & Calf Hotel and the footpath route leading towards Backstone Beck, this is a total length of approximately 500 metres. The total cost of the work is estimated at £26,000 which will be funded by Emmerdale Productions.

Said Owen Wells (Chair of The Friends of Ilkley) “After the filming the Friends had many disagreements with Emmerdale as to the funding of the work to repair the damage done by the filming equipment but I am pleased to say the apart from a £2,000 donation to the Friends, and funding of the damage, we are most grateful for a further grant, a substantial part of the £26,000, has been set aside to re-surface the path from Cow & Calf Rocks to Backstone Beck. (The state of this part of the path was not caused by filming.)”

Dinsdale Moorland Services,a specialist moorland contactor have been commissioned to undertake the work and consents have been obtained from Natural England and English Heritage.

From Barry Wilkinson FOIM Press Officer Mobile 07831-505051
For further information please contact Danny Jackson Countryside and Rights of Way Manager 01274-431230

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Painting of Cup & Ring Stones

Concern has been expressed that some person or persons unknown has been painting cup and ring stones recently. The first time we became aware of this was when, some years ago, the cup and ring stone in the wood above Willy Hall’s Spout was painted with red paint. Recently the same has been done to the Badger Stone, in black paint, and there is a report that another stone has been painted. In each case the intention seems to have been to accentuate the carvings.

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FoIM revises its policy towards shooting on Ilkley Moor

In 1893, the Ilkley Local Board bought Ilkley Moor from Marmaduke Francis Middleton for the then enormous sum of £13,500. The reason for the purchase was that there was seen to be a conflict between the shooting interests (represented by Middleton) and the rights of the public to enjoy the Moor. That decision resonates today.

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