Middleham House

Middleham House lies at the very heart of the Yorkshire Dales National Park, in Wenseleydale between Coverdale and Swaledale. Responding sensitively to the changing seasons, the Dales are a special place whatever time of year.

From early July, the bright colour bell heather can be seen and soon followed by the paler cross-leaved heath. From mid August vast swathes of the Dales turn purple as ‘ling’ or common heather comes into flower. Other species of heather land plants include bilberry, crowberry, and wavy hair grass in the drier areas. Hay meadows rich in wild flowers lie in the Dales bottoms, and the rush pastures provide important habitat for wading birds such Curlews, Golden Plovers and Lapwings.