Skipton Castle Woods

A magical land in the heart of town - that’s one way to describe Skipton Woods, a woodland haven by one of Britain’s best preserved, most popular medieval castles. The wood’s links with the castle date back at least 1,000 years. A canal towpath, following the line of Skipton Castle ramparts and Springs Canal, provides a direct link between the town’s High Street and the woods, following the course of Eller Beck through a stunning steep-sided valley. Most of this ancient woodland is dominated by ash but the occasional sycamore, beech, Scots pine, Norway spruce and hornbeam indicate a greater variety in the past. The woods are renowned for their vivid displays of bluebells and wild garlic and sustain five species of bat. Green and greater spotted woodpeckers add their colour, while kingfisher and heron may be seen fishing the waterways In 1998 the Woodland Trust resurfaced 2000 metres of paths to allow much easier access. Skipton wood is considered to be: