This lovely Wolds nature reserve is found on the South Dalton road heading east out of Market Weighton. It
is close to Rifle Butts Quarry which was looking brilliant compared to when I
saw it in late winter. The Clustered Bellflowers and other herbs were terrific
and a family party of Willow Tits was a welcome surprise.
The book suggests parking by the roadside for ‘Kip’ but
there is a decent sized car park only 500m west along the railway line. I
parked here and walked east along the valley to the entrance where I tied up
the dog as no dogs are allowed on site. Kip is a large chalk pit with a flat
bottom grazed short like a billiard table by Rabbits. Thousands of Autumn
Gentians were just coming into flower on the quarry bottom, with their dark
blackish-green foliage creating a dusky sheen on the grassy sward. I followed
the path up the steps on the northern side and up through a delightful
calcareous meadow to a bench with a wonderful view to the west over the rolling
Wolds. No Marbled Whites present today after
reports of hundreds last weekend. Many other butterflies were present, mostly
Meadow Browns. Lots of other nice flowers noticed including Carline Thistles,
Eyebrights, Small, Field and Devil’s-bit Scabious and Wild Thyme. A few Little
Owl feathers were found on site.
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