At the entrance to the Dalby Forest scenic drive just outside Thornton le Dale this site is a dry unimproved limestone grassland on the tabular hills. The path follows an ancient earthwork and ditch from Ellerburn Bank to the Dalby Forest drive Car Park along the top ridge of the eastern side of Thornton Dale. It was largely native mature mixed woodland replanted with pine planataions and now being restored , it slopes steeply to the east . The route follows various scallops cut into the forest and the ditch in places. Duke of Burgundy has been seen in the ditch and the Marsh thistles and Bugle are favourites with our other Fritillary species.

S1 is a small meadow to the east of the foot path sharing many species with adjoining Ellerburn Bank but contains a good many violets and a strong Colony of Dark green Fritillary and Dingy Skipper plus an occasional Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary. It is also the favourite of the Wall and Brown Argus and Common Blue and plenty of Marbled Whites can be seen.

S2 is the footpath with lesser number of woodland edge species like Speckled Wood and Green -viened White

S3 another loop from teh main path sees Small Heath and is the home to more Small Pearl-bordered Fritillaries.

S4 counts are very low

S5 has tall grass loving species like Large Skipper and high counts of Ringlets

S6 favours the damp loving of Orange Tip and Speckled Wood

2021 was a much better year than 2020 but not exceptional like 2019.

Brimstone and Orange Tip saw increases as in many Yorkshire transects. Dingy Skipper saw an increase to a new high. Large Skipper returned in better numbers and there is obvious signs of recovery after teh spring 2020 severe drought in many species . Brown Argus, Common Blue and Small Copper had some of there best counts , Comma and Red Admiral did particularly poorly as they did almost everywhere while Dark-green Fritillary had its best year. Speckled Wood is stil recovering while Marbled White boomed as it did elsewhere and Wall did well