Centuries of flower power

If you’re thinking of going to Farndale this weekend to take in the daffodils, you may have a wasted journey, says Chris Berry.
Daffodils in FarndaleDaffodils in Farndale
Daffodils in Farndale

Parking cones are strategically placed all along the road that leads into the hamlet of Low Mill to alleviate the tourist traffic pressure; the car park attendant’s hut is unmanned and locked up; and the Band Room, where local ladies serve scones and teas hasn’t been used in days. It’s quite a desolate picture for those who make their annual journey to one of the North York Moors’ most scenic dales.

The daffodils have decided it is not time to come out and play just yet, and who can blame them? Cold weather, including many days in the past month that have struggled to get above freezing, is in complete contrast to last year’s February/March heatwave.

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The North York Moors National Park display trailer has been in position just in front of the Band Room and car park for the past three weeks and the rangers who are manning it are keeping in good humour.

“We were thinking of buying a plastic daffodil and putting it in a different place each day to encourage people to spot the one yellow flower,” says Jim Hall who has been assistant ranger here for 15 years. “At the moment the chances of seeing a real one are as likely as my home town football club Hartlepool avoiding relegation this season.”

“Normally they would be out quite profusely by now and last year, when we were getting temperatures of over 20 degrees, they were certainly out in abundance but nature follows its own clock and certainly doesn’t run on Greenwich Mean Time.”

But does the lateness of their flowering affect the amount of time the yellow carpet stays around the banks of the River Dove that flows from Church Houses, the dale’s other hamlet, to Low Mill?

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“The later the daffodils flower, the more they are going to be affected by warm weather, if we ever start warming up. The warmer it gets the less likely they are to remain in flower for an extended period. So if we suddenly zip up to 20 degrees we will get a sudden flush of them, then they will dry out, desiccate and go to seed.

“It’s a pity we didn’t get lovely weather three weeks ago because then they would have stayed longer. We’ve only just seen the last of the snowdrops.”

This is Farndale’s time of year when the local economy is boosted massively by visitors that often number around 40,000 with coach parties arriving by the hour from right across the north of England and Midlands.

“Visitors have been coming here every year for 50-60 years and it is almost like a solstice. People think that since it is spring it must be time to get up to Farndale. It’s still worth their while coming for the beauty of the dale, but if they are expecting something more they may have to wait a short while longer just yet.”

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Farndale is a rural backwater five miles from any other community. The likes of Burger King and MacDonalds will never have this on their list of new areas to exploit and you will struggle to find more than a teashop or pub, but it is a vital to the residents and those who have their own businesses.

The aptly-named Daffy Café is situated at High Mill between Low Mill and Church Houses and where many walkers start their journey through the daffodils. George Loggie has been proprietor here for the past 13 years.

“During our time here we’ve seen everything. In 2000 when we arrived March was a great time and then there were floods; in 2001 it was foot and mouth so we had no-one here. One year we had a holiday booked for the second week of May, confident that the season would be over, yet there was still a fantastic show of daffodils right into the month. It’s amazing how late the daffodils are this year but we had a group of walkers who said they saw one yesterday and the short-range forecast for this weekend is good. They come out when the sun shines so you never know, there might be a sudden blast of yellow.”

Rachel Armstrong runs the Feversham Arms with partner Richard Murray in Church Houses, the dale’s only pub that also has accommodation.

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“We’ve had one party that have now had to cancel twice, putting back their visit until the daffodils are out. We’re certainly noticing that trade is a lot quieter but it isn’t stopping everyone from coming. People are still keen to get out and we had a big party in this week who told us that despite the daffodils not being out they had a really good day and that the conditions were nice and dry.’

Keith Salter and Denise Grantham are voluntary rangers with the North York Moors National Park. At present, they have very few people to advise. Keith, who comes from York and used to be a long distance walker, is hoping that the daffodils come out soon.

“Our mobile stand here at Farndale was only scheduled to be here until April 12. I’ve been coming here 17 years and I can’t remember a time when they were as late flowering as this.”

There is just a chance that some daffodils may flower this weekend if the weather holds, but it seems that there is a better chance of seeing them in all their glory starting from next weekend.

CENTURIES OF FLOWER POWER

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Farndale’s wild daffodils normally bloom at the end of March/beginning of April each year, after garden daffodils.

Legend has it that the daffodils were first brought to Farndale by medieval monks from Rievaulx.

The Daffodil walk runs along side the River Dove, for about 1½ miles between Low Mill, and High Mill.

There is a website http://www.farndale.org/daffy.htm that will give you the most accurate and up to date information.

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