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.
Tuesday 30th June 2025
Metrological summer started very wet with heavy rain interspersed with warm sunny periods. The rain was welcomed by all, especially the farmers who had to resort to their bore holes to irrigate their newly planted crops. The exploratory work on the Barff summit looks to have been completed and all the temporary fencing has now been removed. It was good to see several Marsh Orchids in flower again on the Barff, although there is no sign yet of the Bee Orchids. Rosebay Willowherb is in full flower, as are the Elderberry bushes, though many of the elderflowers have now turned to berries. Birdsong continues apace on the Barff, Song Thrush, Wren, Blackcap, Garden Warbler, Goldcrest, Chiffchaff, Dunnock, Robin, Blue, Coal, and Great Tits are all very chatty, singing their heads off on our early morning walk around the woodland.
This Spring has been the driest for over 132 years according to figures released by ‘Yorkshire Water’ and a drought has just been declared for the whole of Yorkshire, with many of the reservoirs in the county just 60% full, though no hosepipe ban has been announced just yet.
The third week of the month was exceptionally dry, and bright with wall-to-wall sunshine from morning to nightfall, the morning temperatures (6.30am) averaged around 15c with late afternoon temperatures climbing to 25c, though on Friday 20th and Saturday 21st the temperature hit 29c, on the Barff - the warmest day of the year so far. Overnight rain showers on the 21st & 22nd soon evaporated and had very little impact amongst the woodland. Blackcap, Dunnock, Song Thrush, Wren, and Chiffchaff are still the leading choristers during the mornings dawn chorus. The warmer drier weather has seen an increase in the number of Fritillaries around the woodland, especially the Large and Small Whites, and Comas.
The Elderberry, Bramble, and Hawthorn bushes, laden with blossom at the start of the month are now beginning to turn to berries and Common Knapweed and Ragwort is flowering along the perimeter footpath; the Garlic Mustard is on its second growth. Midsummers day (June 24th) was quite uneventful, the day started off quite dull and overcast, the heavy overnight rain made the ground quite wet underfoot the following morning, with the rain showers continuing for most of the day. The Marsh Orchids have now finished flowering and beginning to die back, still no sign of the Bee Orchids yet.
As the month comes to an end, this last week has been very humid and muggy, the morning temperatures at 6.30am have ranged between 18c – 21c, with grey skies then by 8.00am the sun breaks through with sunshine till late evening. The afternoon temperatures have been reaching 26c – 28c most days which has resulted in the met office issuing a country wide heatwave alert! In fact, on the last day of the month the temperature here on the Barff reached 31c during the late afternoon.
I have been visiting the Barff on a regular basis for well over 20 years and cannot remember seeing the top meadow look as colourful as it does at the moment, a yellow sheen covers this pasture with flowering Creeping Cinquefoil, Ragwort, Creeping Buttercup, and St John’s Wort, and as you walk over towards the top of Tap Hil the purple-coloured Creeping Thistle are in full bloom too.
The Rabbits look to have run amok with fresh scrapings and burrows appearing daily especially on the Barff summit. The Blackthorn bushes along the bypass trail are growing at an alarming rate and now stand well over six feet tall in places, narrowing this part of the footpath considerably, the Oxeye daisies have all but died back, but the Rosebay Willowherb is still in full flower along both sides of the bypass trail. The continuing dry spell has seen the farmers laying temporary waterpipes again in the adjoining fields due to the lack of any significant rain.
Let us hope for some rain in July, if for nothing else but to keep the dust down!
Enjoy the Summer.
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