Bedruthan Steps and Park Head

Site of Special Scientific Interest · 50.4924, -5.0371

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Also within

Cornwall County Cornwall Scenic Area King Charles Way - Marsland Mouth to Newquay National TrailSouth West Coast Path National Trail

Condition (Natural England)

Favourable (3)
UnitFeatureConditionArea (ha)Assessed
SW845708 — Favourable 41.57 2009-07-30
SW848694 — Favourable 35.42 2009-09-11
SW849712 — Favourable 4.2 2009-07-30

Climate exposure

This is about exposure to a nationwide pressure this habitat type carries — not a verdict on this site's own management.

Coastal

Coastal habitats are exposed to sea-level rise and storm erosion. Where hard sea defences sit behind them, there's nowhere landward to retreat to — a squeeze that keeps compressing the habitat no matter how well it's managed.

Habitats

Mixed scrub, Montane scrub

Geology & landscape

Geological Feature: Rock Outcrop · Geological Period: Devonian

Landscape processes: Coastal, Karst

Description

Bedruthan Steps and Park Head SSSI Description Bedruthan Steps and Park Head are situated about 10 kilometres southwest of Padstow on the north Cornwall coast. The cliffs are higher and steeper in the south, rising to about 65 metres. The majority of the site is underlain by Lower Devonian slates, with a small outcrop of Staddon Grits in the south of the site. Marine erosion of the Lower Devonian slates has resulted in rapid retreat of the coastal edge and the formation of the spectacular series of remnant stacks known as Bedruthan Steps in the intertidal zone north of Pendarves Island. The extreme tip of Park Head is composed of diabase. The soils are well drained and loamy or silty. The site is scheduled both for its biological and geological interest. Geologically the site is of importance for the richly fossiliferous strata. Between Bedruthan Steps (SW 84856965) and Pendarves Island (SW 84756935), extensive exposures of grey Devonian slates have yielded a fossil rich fauna indicating an Eifelian Age. Included in the fauna are large numbers of the problematical fossil Pteroconus mirus. This is the best Eifelian site in Cornwall. Despite the extreme maritime conditions experienced on these west-facing cliffs, several plant species of interest occur here including golden samphire Inula crithmoides and tree mallow Malva arborea. The site also has interesting areas of maritime grassland and heathland along the coastal margin. Within the maritime grass/heath near Porth Mear, to the north of the site occur the nationally rare autumn squill Scilla autumnalis and hairy bird’s-foot trefoil Lotus subbiflorus. Other noteworthy species occurring here are spring quill Scilla verna and the prostrate form of dyer’s greenweed Genista tinctoria var. prostrata. The sheltered valley which runs inland from Porth Mear contains a variety of additional habitats including scrub, streams, tall herb and a small area of woodland which add further interest to the site. The site also supports two mosses of limited distribution, Tortella flavovirens and Grimmia maritima. Two noteworthy beetle species – Cteniopus sulphureus and Dasytes aeratus, have also been recorded here.

Species mentioned

English name
search for this in other sites		 Latin name
search with Google		 IUCN / Red List Type Family
no common name Dasytes aeratus LC beetle dasytidae
dyer's greenweed Genista tinctoria LC herb fabaceae
golden samphire Inula crithmoides Not listed in GB list herb asteraceae
hairy bird's-foot trefoil Lotus subbiflorus LC herb fabaceae
tree mallow Malva arborea LC herb malvaceae
autumn squill Scilla autumnalis LC herb liliaceae
spring squill Scilla verna LC herb liliaceae
yellow crisp moss Tortella flavovirens LC moss pottiales

Plant communities

W20 — Montane scrub

Salix lapponum-Luzula sylvatica scrub

Salix 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

Hedera 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

Hedera 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