Brants Gill Catchment

Site of Special Scientific Interest · 54.1263, -2.2336

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Also within

North Yorkshire County YORKSHIRE DALES National Park Pennine Way National Trail

Condition (Natural England)

Favourable (9)
UnitFeatureConditionArea (ha)Assessed
SD818727 — Favourable 18.93 2017-04-11
SD819718 — Favourable 18.93 2017-04-11
SD820733 — Favourable 151.51 2017-04-11
SD822745 — Favourable 23.04 2017-04-11
SD823717 — Favourable 23.37 2017-04-11
SD825734 — Favourable 21.34 2017-04-11
SD826744 — Favourable 36.81 2017-04-11
SD843701 — Favourable 131.62 2009-12-03
SD855700 — Favourable 88.09 2017-04-11

Habitats

Fast flowing river and stream

Geology & landscape

Geological Feature: Cave / Cavern · Geological Period: Quaternary

Landscape processes: Karst

Description

Description Brants Gill Catchment encompasses a network of underground stream ways and associated potholes. Drainage from the western slopes of both Pen y ghent Hill and Fountains Fell integrate underground to feed the major resurgence of Brants Gill Head. This has a clearly defined maximum outflow and excess floodwater resurges at Douk Gill Scar through a distributary passage which is normally dry. Within the catchment lie a series of extensive and varied cave passages with many notable features. Hull Pot has the largest entrance in Britain, Pen y ghent Pot is the country's finest underground streamway and the Fountains Fell caves have morphologies and sediments traceable through the later stages of the Pleistocene. Other Information 1. Brants Hill Catchment is identified as of national importance in the Geological Conservation Review. 2. Parts of the GCR site are located within the adjacent Pen y ghent SSSI.

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