Skelwith Hill

Site of Special Scientific Interest · 54.2196, -3.0266

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Also within

Cumbria County LAKE DISTRICT National Park

Condition (Natural England)

Favourable (1)
UnitFeatureConditionArea (ha)Assessed
SD332807 — Favourable 3.0 2016-05-05

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

Fast flowing river and stream

Geology & landscape

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

Landscape processes: Coastal

Description

Area, 3.4 hectares 8.4 ac Description Skelwith Hill is situated 3 miles north east of Ulverston, on the eastern shore of the estuary of the River Leven. The cliff and foreshore outcrops within this site provide fine exposures of Carboniferous Limestone incorporating an important and controversial junction between two of the major subdivisions Stages of the Carboniferous Period. The junction is marked by a layer of rock, the Skelwith Breccia, made up of angular fragments, which has been interpreted as evidence of a major break in the sequence of deposition of the limestones. The breccia may correspond to an ancient soil horizon but this remains to be proved by further detailed research. This is an important geological reference locality for the purposes of comparison with other sequences of similar age elsewhere in Britain and the uncertainty about the origin of the Skelwith Breccia adds a special significance to this site. A technical description of the geological interest can be obtained from the Nature Conservancy Council, the simple statement given here should be regarded as comprehensive.

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