Hell Gill

Site of Special Scientific Interest · 54.3670, -2.3297

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Also within

Cumbria CountyNorth Yorkshire County YORKSHIRE DALES National Park Pennine Bridleway National Trail

Condition (Natural England)

Unfavourable No Change (1)
UnitFeatureConditionArea (ha)Assessed
SD786968 — Unfavourable No Change 1.32 2012-03-27

Habitats

Fast flowing river and stream

Geology & landscape

Geological Feature: Cave / Cavern, Gorge / Ravine · Rock Type: Limestone

Landscape processes: Fluvial, Karst

Description

Area, Cumbria 1.0 hectares 2.5 ac Description Hell Gill lies 12 kilometres south of Kirkby Stephen on the border of Cumbria and North Yorkshire. The site covers the complete length of the gorge where Hell Gill Beck cuts through the Main Limestone. The gorge is a youthful, subaerial fluvial feature with no signs of collapse or underground development. It is an excellent example of surface river erosion in limestone where cave formation is only on a restricted scale.

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