MANY woodlands in the Yorkshire Dales are unmanaged and in poor condition, access is often difficult and, because the timber is low grade, costs for selling it are prohibitive and markets few and far between.

But a demonstration day on the Scargill House Estate at Kettlewell in Upper Wharfedale showed opportunities did exist.

The event, organised by Richmond-based Yorwoods, included demonstrations of mobile sawmilling, horse logging, charcoal production and wood fuel systems, along with advice on grants.

Scargill is a Christian community which takes church groups but is also a general conference centre and popular place for school parties. It covers 100 acres, of which 60pc is woodland, the majority being on very steep limestone hills.

Alan Iles, woodland consultant and college lecturer, is managing the woodland, which involves felling and new planting.

Much of the woodland is impossible to get to by vehicle and Martin Plews, a contractor from Evergreen Services in the Bedale area, has been called in to remove felled trees with his trusted three-year-old 15-hands horse, Tinker Bay.

"He can get where machinery can't," said Mr Plews. "He can get right to the top where the main limestone face is and can pull three-quarters of a ton or so.

"I prefer a smaller horse than a Clydesdale because they need a lot of turning space. Tinker has a short wheel-base but plenty of power!"

The estate has begun small scale charcoal production from some of the cleared timber.

Ian Harland from Threshfield, Skipton, is a landscape gardener who demonstrated charcoal production. He showed sycamore logs which were being burnt and cooked in a kiln capable of taking a tonne of wood. When the smoke turned a hazy blue, the charcoal was ready.

Mr Harland explained that a tonne of wood produced 200kgs of charcoal, which would sell for £1.50-£2 kg - the equivalent of £400 to £500 for what would have been worth only £25-£30 as wood.

The difficulty was selling it, although Scargill plans to use it in its own wood fuel system and also to sell it to visitors and guests for barbecues.

Martyn Glynn of Yorwoods explained that 90pc of charcoal sold in this country was imported from countries such as South America and Portugal. By and large it was of an inferior quality and difficult to light, whereas British charcoal was made of denser material and did not need firelighters.

He claimed stores like B&Q found British charcoal sold more quickly than foreign, even though it was usually slightly dearer. The fact that sales were often spur of the moment for barbecues meant the price difference did not really matter but continuity of supply could be improved.

Mr Glynn said he had put some small-scale producers in touch with Bioregional, a national co-operative, which supplied charcoal to some of the big stores on a regional basis.

Jonathan Walker, a forestry contractor from Ripon, demonstrated his mobile Woodmiser bandsaw which he can take to the wood, rather than the wood having to be taken to a sawmill.

Scargill was a good example where the timber was inaccessible for collection by lorry because of the very narrow, twisting road.

Mr Walker finds a lot of work on farms and estates cutting felled trees into fence posts, wooden railings and planks. He explained that the nearest sawmill to Scargill was probably 25 miles away. The timber would be worth only £30 to £35 a tonne and transport costs would be £6 to £8 a tonne, reducing the value to the low- to mid-£20s.

However, by cutting the wood into rails or posts on site, the timber could be used on farm or sold for more value.

Further information is available from Yorwoods on 01748 826 519