A FUN and practical month of events took place in August, organised by the Friends of Ilkley Moor.

The first event ‘Archaeology Trail’ was a strenuous walk. Starting from the Cow and Calf Rocks and calling at Backstone Beck Enclosure, the group climbed to the higher slopes of the moor discovering some of the many ancient cup and ring stones found on the moor. The second event ‘Social History – Victorian Visitors’ was led by Alex Cockshott from the Ilkley Civic Society.

The third event was a practical conservation day in habitat management and footpath conservation, where volunteers gained skills in upland habitat management and access management. Participants helped clear dense vegetation from the bank, footpath, outlet pipes and stream flowing from the lower tarn.

The other two events (one of which was suitable for people with pushchairs and wheel chairs) were for young people to discover the different habitats of the streams and tarns, and the animals, insects and plants which live there; and to also introduce them to wildlife survey and recording. Animal tracking and pond dipping were part of this event. Wetland plants within and around the tarns were identified and recorded; as well as amphibians and invertebrates found in the tarn. People also learnt how to survey for mammals using tracks and signs.

The group walked up to the stream and upper tarn close to White Wells Spa cottage, to be shown the plants and animals characteristic of the tarn upper and streams.

The plants which were recorded were heather, cross leaved heather, bilberry, cowberry, bracken, lemon scented fern, lichens, gorse, rowan, hazel, oak, goat willow, ash, and birch trees; water horsetail, marsh pennywort, yellow iris, lesser spearwort, jointed rush, soft rush and the grasses of yorkshire fog, crested dogs tail, cocksfoot, sweet vernal grass and meadow grass.

Invertebrate species recorded from the upper tarn were water snails, frog spawn, small frogs, stickleback, water boatman (two different species), fresh water shrimp, whirligig beetle and midge fly larvae.

As well as exploring the upper tarn, the lower tarn and the streams the groups were shown the natural spring behind White Wells cottage, the famous plunge pool and learnt about the history of Ilkley Moor as a spa town.

Friends of Ilkley Moor Project officer Tracy Gray said: "People learnt great skills on these events as well as helping out with valuable research and helping to conserve Ilkley moor."

All of the species discovered were recorded as part of the ‘Big Ilkley Moor Survey’. This survey is part of the Friends of Ilkley Moor’s new ‘Nature for all Project’. The aim of the project is to provide the local community with opportunities to identify, survey and record the wildlife of Ilkley Moor.

Anybody who is interested in the project should contact Tracy Gray. The project offers the local community, schools, colleges, youth groups, volunteers and other organisations and individuals opportunities to gain skills in learning how to undertake wildlife surveys using standardised methodology; and also how to identify and discover wildlife in a fun way.

The events programme and heritage walks can be downloaded from the FOIM website www.ilkleymoor.org or collected from Ilkley Information Centre and shops in the Town.

More information on the Big Ilkley Moor Survey will soon be available on the FoIM website.