God's Bridge

Site of Special Scientific Interest · 54.5083, -2.0669

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Also within

Durham County North Pennines Scenic Area Pennine Way National Trail

Condition (Natural England)

Favourable (1)
UnitFeatureConditionArea (ha)Assessed
NY957125 — Favourable 9.39 2021-11-01

Habitats

Fast flowing river and stream

Geology & landscape

Geological Feature: Cave / Cavern · Rock Type: Limestone

Landscape processes: Karst

Description

Area, 9.3 ha. 22.9 ac. Description The site covers the immediate area around God’s Bridge, a natural limestone bridge across the River Greta. This is the best example in Britain of a natural bridge left over an active river course by the process of sub riverbed cave development on a limited scale. The site also includes the section of river where a significant proportion of the flow leaks into parallel shallow cave development and then resurges a few hundred metres further downstream. Since these caves extend under the natural bridge they show a second level of solutional activity. Other Information This is a new site identified as of national importance in the Geological Conservation Review.

Plant communities

A9 — Fast flowing river and stream, Marginal and inundation, Pond ditch and canal, Sluggish river and stream

Potamogeton natans community

Schoenoplectus 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

Isolepis 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

Berula 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

Fontinalis 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