The fells and valleys of Upper Wharfedale are overflowing with delights from which, once under their spell, very few can escape.
Upper Wharfedale Field Society works to increase the enjoyment derived from the area by deepening and widening understanding of its many and various elements.
Open any of the pages of this site and see what we do.
Meet us and experience it for yourself. You are very welcome to our talks or to join us.
Arthur Raistrick
As part of the celebration of 70 years of the Yorkshire Dales National Park, a number of local and regional societies came together to present:
The Legacy of Arthur Raistrick
Dr Arthur Raistrick was instrumental in the creation and definition of the Upper Wharfedale Field Society:
For Upper Wharfedale Field Society specific recollections:
Latest News & Articles
Local History visit to Bolton-by-Bowland 22 Aug 24
Visit to Bolton-by-Bowland
Botany visit to Swinsty reservoir on Tuesday 13th August 2024
Botany group visit to the reservoir
Local History visit to Salterforth 25 July 24
Local history group visit to Salterforth Lancashire
Latest News & Articles
The Upper Wharfedale Field Society is constantly working hard behind the scenes. See what is happening here.
Swinsty Fungal Foray 17th September 2024
Botany trip to Swinsty in search of fungi.
Ornithology Special Interest Group Programme 2024/2025
The Ornithology Special Interest Group events for the
Ornithology visit to Seal Sands and RSPB Salthome 15th August 2024
Ornithology visit to Seal Sands and RSPB Salthome
Special Interest Groups
The Upper Wharfedale Field Society covers a wide range of special interest groups.
LOCAL HISTORY & VERNACULAR BUILDINGS
In the Yorkshire Dales, local history and its vernacular buildings are inextricably linked. We have especial interest in all local history, through all aspects of industry including farming, social history from peasant to aristocrat, early trading, tracks and coach routes.
GEOLOGY
The earth formations and movements of the past have created an area of outstanding natural beauty. The most recent apparent dominant force is glaciation which has created the landscape which we see today, in particular the Upper Wharfedale Valley, but there is much more to the valleys, hills and rocks of the Yorkshire Dales.
BOTANY
The Botany Group holds its meetings every other Tuesday from end of April to mid August usually for the whole day. The meetings vary from those sites very close to Grassington eg Kilnsey park, the banks of the Wharfe, to further afield e.g. the west coast for dune systems, reserves in Cumbria and our National Natures Reserves as around Ingleborough. In this way we can become familiar with plants that are not on our doorstep and sites away from limestone grassland.
ARCHAEOLOGY
There are a considerable number of archaeological sites in Upper Wharfedale and Archaeology is regularly represented the Society’s talks programme . In recent years we have had guest speakers from Bradford University and York Archaeological Trust as well as presentations on field work being carried out locally in Wharfedale, Nidderdale and Ingleborough.
“The fells and valleys of Upper Wharfedale are overflowing with delights from which, once under their spell, very few can escape.”
Upper Wharfedale Field Society
Events & Talks
Here’s what is coming up soon.
“Members of the National Trust’s Yorkshire Dales team will give an overview about current projects on its Upper Wharfedale estate, an area of tenanted livestock farms with species rich limestone grassland, upland hay meadows and blanket bog. We’ll talk about partnership work to restore blanket bogs, new woodland creation and how we are developing access for the local and wider community
Contact Us
If you have any questions for the Upper Wharfedale Field Society, or you just want to get on touch, please contact us below.