Hipley Hill

Also within

Derbyshire County

Condition (Natural England)

Geology & landscape

Geological Period: Carboniferous · Rock Type: Carboniferous Limestone, Chalk, Limestone

Description

Area, 22.4 ha. 55.4 ac. Description The site occupies the steep west facing slopes of a dry valley to the east of the village of Ballidon. It is an example of species rich limestone grassland in which are found a number of rare and local plants. It lies on the edge of the Derbyshire Carboniferous Limestone and includes a number of natural caves and rock outcrops. At the top of the slope the grassland is neutral to acidic, owing to the leaching of the topsoil. Lower down the slope the grasslands are dominated by meadow oat grass Avenula pratensis and glaucous sedge Carex flacca. The flora has some similarities with southern chalk grassland as shown by the presence of dwarf thistle Cirsium acaule. This may be dueto the lower altitude 200 250 metres and sheltered position on the edge of the limestone massif. It also includes a number of uncommon and local species such as angular Solomon’s seal Polygonatum odoratum, herb paris Paris quadrifolia, globe flower Trollius europaeus and mountain everlasting Antennaria dioica. In some moist areas grass of Parnassus Parnassia palustris and mossy saxifrage Saxifraga hypnoides occur. Burnt orchid Neotinea ustulata, an increasingly rare species nationally, occurs in Derbyshire only in a small area round Ripley Hill and here is found with eight other orchid species. The colony of Jacob’s ladder Polemonium caeruleum is one of the largest in Britain.

Species mentioned