Derwent Gorge & Horsleyhope Ravine
Condition (Natural England)
| Unit | Feature | Condition | Area (ha) | Assessed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NZ050494 | — | Unfavourable Declining | 16.49 | 2023-08-15 |
| NZ050496 | — | Unfavourable Declining | 21.54 | 2023-08-15 |
| NZ055487 | — | Unfavourable Declining | 8.08 | 2023-08-15 |
| NZ055488 | — | Favourable | 3.09 | 2022-06-09 |
| NZ055490 | — | Favourable | 3.09 | 2022-06-09 |
| NZ061490 | — | Unfavourable Declining | 3.17 | 2023-08-15 |
| NZ062480 | — | Unfavourable Declining | 29.12 | 2023-08-15 |
| NZ064475 | — | Unfavourable No Change | 1.81 | 2010-05-21 |
Geology & landscape
Geological Feature: Gorge / Ravine
Landscape processes: Fluvial
Description
Description Derwent Gorge and Horsleyhope Ravine comprise an extensive area of woodland on sheltered slopes four miles west south west of Consett. Sessile oak Quercus petraea is dominant on the dry, acidic soils of the upper slopes and forms woodland which, on the most inaccessible slopes, appears to have remained free from human interference. Birch Betula pendula and rowan Sorbus aucuparia are present amongst the oak and some have been coppiced in the past. Bilberry Vaccinium myrtillus, woodrush Luzula sylvatica and tufted hair grass Deschampsia cespitosa dominate the herb layer, while male fern Dryopteris filix-mas, dog's mercury Mercurialis perennis and common cow wheat Melampyrum pratense are frequent. Sweet woodruff Galium odoratum and wood sorrel Oxalis acetosella are abundant in association with hazel Corylus avellana coppice and the rich ground flora also includes enchanter's nightshade Circaea lutetiana, valerian Valeriana officinalis, honeysuckle Lonicera periclymenum and woodsage Teucrium scorodonia. Ivy Hedera helix and common polypody fern Polypodium vulgare also occur, the latter growing epiphytically. Damper base rich soils along the bottom of the Derwent Gorge and in poorly drained sites support mixed deciduous woodland in which ash Fraxinus excelsior and wych elm Ulmus glabra are abundant, with occasional bird cherry Prunus padus. Alder Alnus glutinosa is common along the river banks and sanicle sanicle europaea grows with wild garlic Allium usinum in the ground flora. Wood bitter cress Cardamine flexuosa and opposite leaved golden saxifrage Chrysosplenium oppositifolium are frequent in the dampest areas. Ashwood, with birch, hazel and holly Ilex aquifolium, grows extensively on heavy, neutral soils in the south of Horsleyhope Ravine, and gives way to stands of alder, developed from old coppice, on waterlogged soils. Here the ground flora is dominated by hybrid sweet grass Glyceria x pedicellata with great horsetail Equisetum telmateia. Yew Taxus baccata occurs sporadically on wooded crags throughout much of the site. A rich assemblage of over sixty epiphytic lichens is present and includes indicators of long established woodland, Pachyphiale cornea and Thelotrema lepadinum, together with Cyphelium inquinans, which is rare in the north. The lichen flora also includes abundant Calicium abietina and Pertusaria spp. which are found growing in well developed communities of crustose lichens. Several areas of herb rich grassland and scrub occur around the edges of the woodland. These represent the typical transition of neutral grassland types found in the North Pennines where meadow grassland on flatter ground supporting species such as wood cranesbill Geranium sylvaticum, pignut Conopodium majus and great burnet Sanguisorba officinalis is replaced on steeper slopes or where soils are thinner, by species more commonly associated with acid conditions. At Derwent Gorge this change is marked by increased prominence of species such as birds foot trefoil Lotus corniculatus, betony Betonica officinalis, devil's bit scabious Succisa pratensis and adder's tongue Ophioglossum vulgatum. The scrubby margins and gradation from grassland into woodland found here is an unusual feature in upland woods.
Species mentioned
Show the 37 species mentioned in the description, with red-list statusPlant communities
A9 — Fast flowing river and stream, Marginal and inundation, Pond ditch and canal, Sluggish river and stream
Potamogeton natans community
Show 20 indicator speciesSchoenoplectus lacustris, Juncus bulbosus, Sparganium angustifolium, Sparganium erectum, Sparganium minimum, Alisma plantago-aquatica, Lobelia dortmanna, Equisetum fluviatile, Myriophyllum alterniflorum, Elodea canadensis, Lemna minor, Lemna trisulca, Nymphaea alba, Callitriche platycarpa, Callitriche stagnalis, Littorella uniflora, Potamogeton natans, Ranunculus trichophyllus, Glyceria fluitans, Chara subspinosa
A14 — Fast flowing river and stream
Myriophyllum alterniflorum community
Show 15 indicator speciesIsolepis fluitans, Juncus bulbosus, Fontinalis antipyretica, Lobelia dortmanna, Equisetum fluviatile, Myriophyllum alterniflorum, Lemna minor, Callitriche stagnalis, Littorella uniflora, Potamogeton filiformis, Potamogeton gramineus, Potamogeton natans, Ranunculus peltatus, Chara spp., Nitella hyalina
A17 — Chalk river and stream, Fast flowing river and stream
Ranunculus penicillatus ssp. pseudofluitans community
Show 11 indicator speciesBerula erecta, Nasturtium officinale, Elodea canadensis, Lemna minor, Callitriche stagnalis, Veronica beccabunga, Polygonum amphibium, Polygonum hydropiper, Potamogeton crispus, Potamogeton pectinatus, Ranunculus penicillatus ssp. pseudofluitans
A18 — Fast flowing river and stream
Ranunculus fluitans community
Show 12 indicator speciesFontinalis antipyretica, Fontinalis squamosa var. curnowii, Myriophyllum alterniflorum, Myriophyllum spicatum, Elodea canadensis, Mentha aquatica, Lemna gibba, Lemna minor, Potamogeton perfoliatus, Ranunculus fluitans, Glyceria fluitans, Phalaris arundinacea
W20 — Montane scrub
Salix lapponum-Luzula sylvatica scrub
Show 107 indicator speciesSalix arbuscula, Salix cinerea, Salix lapponum, Salix myrsinites, Salix phylicifolia, Salix reticulata, Empetrum nigrum, Calluna vulgaris, Salix lanata, Vaccinium myrtillus, Vaccinium uliginosum, Carex atrata, Carex bigelowii, Carex binervis, Carex flacca, Luzula multiflora, Luzula sylvatica, Huperzia selago, Selaginella selaginoides, Aulacomnium palustre, Mnium hornum, Philonotis fontana, Plagiomnium undulatum, Rhizomnium punctatum, Dicranum bonjeanii, Dicranum majus, Dicranum scoparium, Fissidens adianthoides, Racomitrium lanuginosum, Calliergonell cuspidatum, Ctenidium molluscum, Hylocomium splendens, Hypnum callichroum, Hypnum cupressiforme, Palustriella commutatum, Plagiothecium denticulatum, Plagiothecium undulatum, Pleurozium schreberi, Ptilium crista-castrensis, Rhytidiadelphus loreus, Rhytidiadelphus squarrosus, Rhytidiadelphus triquetrus, Sanionia uncinata, Scorpidium revolvens, Thuidium tamariscinum, Atrichum undulatum, Polytrichastrum alpinum, Sphagnum capillifolium, Sphagnum fallax, Sphagnum girgensohnii, Sphagnum palustre, Sphagnum russowii, Sphagnum squarrosum, Sphagnum subnitens, Sphagnum teres, Barbilophozia barbata, Chiloscyphus polyanthos, Diplophyllum albicans, Lophocolea bidentata, Plagiochila porelloides, Ptilidium ciliare, Scapania undulata, Cladonia squamosa, Peltigera canina, Angelica sylvestris, Caltha palustris, Hieraclium spp., Saussurea alpina, Solidago virgaurea, Campanula rotundifolia, Succisa pratensis, Valeriana officinalis, Rhodiola rosea, Vaccinium vitis-idaea, Thymus praecox, Epilobium anagallidifolium, Dactylorhiza viridis, Euphrasia officinalis, Rhinanthus minor, Oxalis acetosella, Oxyria digyna, Polygonum viviparum, Rumex acetosa, Anemone nemorosa, Ranunculus acris, Thalictrum alpinum, Alchemilla alpina, Alchemilla glabra, Filipendula ulmaria, Geum rivale, Galium boreale, Galium saxatile, Saxifraga aizoides, Saxifraga hypnoides, Saxifraga oppositifolia, Saxifraga stellaris, Viola riviniana, Agrostis canina, Agrostis capillaris, Anthoxanthum odoratum, Deschampsia cespitosa, Deschampsia flexuosa, Festuca ovina, Festuca rubra, Nardus stricta, Dryopteris dilatata, Phegopteris connectilis
W21 — Hedgerow scrub, Mixed scrub
Crataegus monogyna-Hedera helix scrub
Show 81 indicator speciesHedera helix, Salix cinerea, Acer pseudoplatanus, Ilex aquifolium, Betula pendula, Corylus avellana, Fagus sylvatica, Quercus robur, Fraxinus excelsior, Malus sylvestris, Sorbus aria, Taxus baccata, Ulmus glabra, Ulmus procera, Sambucus nigra, Viburnum lantana, Euonymus europaeus, Cornus sanguinea, Juniperus communis, Ligustrum vulgare, Clematis vitalba, Rhamnus cathartica, Crataegus laevigata, Crataegus monogyna, Prunus spinosa, Juncus effusus, Plagiomnium undulatum, Brachythecium rutabulum, Kindbergia praelonga, Rhynchostegium confertum, Tamus communis, Heracleum sphondylium, Torilis japonica, Arum maculatum, Arctium minus, Cirsium arvense, Lonicera periclymenum, Moehringia trinervia, Silene dioica, Stellaria graminea, Stellaria holostea, Stellaria media agg., Calystegia sepium, Mercurialis perennis, Geranium robertianum, Iris foetidissima, Glechoma hederacea, Lamium purpureum, Origanum vulgare, Stachys sylvatica, Teucrium scorodonia, Allium ursinum, Hyacinthoides non-scripta, Circaea lutetiana, Rumex sanguineus, Anemone nemorosa, Ranunculus repens, Fragaria vesca, Geum urbanum, Potentilla sterilis, Poterium sanguisorba, Rosa arvensis, Rosa canina, Rubia peregrina, Rubus fruticosus agg., Galium aparine, Urtica dioica, Viola riviniana, Anisantha sterilis, Arrhenatherum elatius, Brachypodium pinnatum, Brachypodium sylvaticum, Bromopsis erecta, Dactylis glomerata, Elytrigia repens, Holcus lanatus, Holcus mollis, Poa trivialis, Asplenium scolopendrium, Pteridium aquilinum, Dryopteris filix-mas
W22 — Hedgerow scrub, Mixed scrub
Prunus spinosa-Rubus fruticosus scrub
Show 49 indicator speciesHedera helix, Acer campestre, Corylus avellana, Ulex europaeus, Prunus spinosa, Plagiomnium undulatum, Brachythecium rutabulum, Eurhynchium striatum, Kindbergia praelonga, Thuidium tamariscinum, Atrichum undulatum, Lophocolea bidentata, Achillea millefolium, Cardamine flexuosa, Lonicera periclymenum, Moehringia trinervia, Silene dioica, Silene uniflora, Stellaria media agg., Mercurialis perennis, Geranium robertianum, Stachys sylvatica, Teucrium scorodonia, Hyacinthoides non-scripta, Oxalis acetosella, Digitalis purpurea, Plantago lanceolata, Veronica chamaedrys, Armeria maritima, Rumex acetosa, Filipendula ulmaria, Geum urbanum, Rosa canina, Rubus fruticosus agg., Rubus idaeus, Galium aparine, Urtica dioica, Viola riviniana, Agrostis capillaris, Brachypodium sylvaticum, Dactylis glomerata, Festuca rubra, Holcus lanatus, Holcus mollis, Poa trivialis, Asplenium scolopendrium, Pteridium aquilinum, Dryopteris borreri, Dryopteris filix-mas