Augill Valley Pasture
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Condition (Natural England)
| Unit | Feature | Condition | Area (ha) | Assessed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NY816146 | — | Favourable | 2.82 | 2022-01-24 |
Geology & landscape
Mining / Industrial: Lead Mine · Geological Period: Carboniferous · Rock Type: Carboniferous Limestone, Glacial Till, Limestone
Landscape processes: Glacial
Birds & fish recorded
Fish
| Species | Season |
|---|---|
| Smelt | Unknown |
Description
Description Augill Valley Pasture, lying some two kilometres east of Brough, immediately to the north of the A66 road, is an important remaining example of an unimproved neutral northern grassland. At an altitude of approximately 260 metres OD it occupies ground which slopes steeply down to the Augill Beck to the west. It has developed on varying depths of boulder clay and topsoil which overlie Carboniferous limestone and sandstones of the Dinantian series. Unimproved grasslands are now a very rare habitat nationally with only an estimated three percent left undamaged by modern agricultural techniques such as the use of artificial fertilisers, herbicides and re seeding. Northern sub montane grasslands are confined to a few upland valleys in the north Pennines and the Lake District and are therefore a very scarce resource. The grassland at Augill is particularly species rich containing a number of rare and locally restricted plants and represents one of the most diverse of its kind within East Cumbria. The dominant grasses within the pasture are red fescue Festuca rubra and common bent Agrostis capillaris, but a variety of other grasses are also present including sweet vernal grass Anthoxanthum odoratum, quaking grass Briza media, Yorkshire fog Holcus lanatus, downy oat grass Avenula pubescens, crested dog's tail Cynosurus cristatus and heath grass Danthonia decumbens. The herb component is very rich and forms a substantial proportion of the sward. The most frequent species are knapweed Centaurea nigra, devil's bit scabious Succisa pratensis, great burnet Sanguisorba officinalis, betony Betonica officinalis, bird's foot trefoil Lotus corniculatus, ribwort plantain Plantago lanceolata, autumn hawkbit Scorzoneroides autumnalis and three species of lady's mantle, smooth Alchemilla glabra, intermediate Alchemilla xanthochlora and hairy Alchemilla filicaulis. Species of particular note include frog orchid Dactylorhiza viridis, greater butterfly orchid Platanthera chlorantha, fragrant orchid Gymnadenia conopsea, adder's tongue fern Ophioglossum vulgatum, twayblade Neottia ovata, saw wort Serratula tinctoria, the nationally rare bird's eye primrose Primula farinosa and in the damper areas of the field margins the increasingly scarce globe flower Trollius europaeus. A number of sedges are also found including flea Carex pulicaris, spring Carex caryophyllea, glaucous Carex flacca and carnation sedge C. panicea. Along the western edge of the pasture, there is a gradual transition from grassland to woodland. This transition is marked by scattered birch scrub Betula pubescens, grading into denser thickets of birch, blackthorn Prunus spinosa and hawthorn Crataegus monogyna and eventually into woodland on the steeper slopes and river cliffs of the Augill Beck. The woodland is dominated by ash Fraxinus excelsior, birch and rowan Sorbus aucuparia with an understorey of hazel Corylus avellana and hawthorn. The woodland ground flora is varied and includes dog's mercury Mercurialis perennis, bluebell Hyacinthoides non-scripta, wood avens Geum urbanum, sanicle Sanicula europaea as well as a number of ferns such as male fern Dryopteris filix-mas, broad buckler fern Dryopteris dilatata and lady fern Athyrium filix-femina. Evidence of a former lead mining and smelting industry can be found within the site. A hollow on the woodland, grassland edge has been bunded to collect water which was channelled down to the now abandoned smelt mill by the Augill Beck. The mill occupies a low lying grassy area below the woodland and soil disturbance has led to the development of a more ruderal community with localised patches of nettles Urtica dioica and elder Sambucus nigra. The site has not been surveyed for its ornithological and invertebrate interest but red squirrels and badgers are known to frequent the woodland.
Species mentioned
Show the 44 species mentioned in the description, with red-list statusPlant communities
A9 — Fast flowing river and stream, Marginal and inundation, Pond ditch and canal, Sluggish river and stream
Potamogeton natans community
Show 20 indicator speciesSchoenoplectus 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
Show 15 indicator speciesIsolepis 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
Show 11 indicator speciesBerula 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
Show 12 indicator speciesFontinalis 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
W20 — Montane scrub
Salix lapponum-Luzula sylvatica scrub
Show 107 indicator speciesSalix 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
Show 81 indicator speciesHedera 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
Show 49 indicator speciesHedera 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