Ballidon Dale
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Condition (Natural England)
| Unit | Feature | Condition | Area (ha) | Assessed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SK196559 | — | Favourable | 16.06 | 2009-03-11 |
| SK204559 | — | Favourable | 16.06 | 2009-03-11 |
| SK204561 | — | Favourable | 34.87 | 2009-03-11 |
Geology & landscape
Mining / Industrial: Quarry · Geological Period: Carboniferous · Rock Type: Carboniferous Limestone, Limestone
Description
Description Located mid way between the lower hills of the Somerset Mendips and the higher Craven region of Yorkshire, the White Peak of Derbyshire and Staffordshire is one of the most important areas of carboniferous limestone in Britain, with daleside grasslands which show similarities to those found in both parts of the country. The White Peak is cut by valleys or 'dales'. These expose areas of high geological interest and support a range if important semi natural woodland, scrub, grassland and, stream habitats. The dales vary in their orientation and this, together with differences in slope, affects the development of soil types and plant communities. South facing slopes are warm and dry in contrast to north facing slopes which are cool and moist; eastfacing slopes are shallow, nutrient poor, well drained rendzinas high in calcium carbonate. Towards the plateau, where down wash of loessic material combined with surface leaching has reduced calcium carbonate, acidity is higher and soils grade into deeper brown earths. Richer, moister soils cover the more variable deposits on the floor of the dales and these areas tend to support neutral, rather than calcareous plant communities. Ballidon Dale is 10 kilometres south west at Matlock on the south eastern edge of the Peak National Park. It is a broad, deep valley which curves from north to south with a large side dale entering from the west and smaller side dale from the east. The southwestern section of the main dale and the southern part of the western side dale have been substantially altered by quarrying and some parts of the original dale land form have been completely removed. Entensive tracts of species rich limestone grasslands cover the unaffected dale sides. The differing slopes and aspects increase interest by giving rise to a variety of grassland communities, including those typical of limestone grassland in the Peak District and others more characteristic of northern limestones and southern chalks. On the shallow lime rich soils of the dale sides, the grassland is typified by a rich and attractive mixture of grasses, sedges and herbs, dominated by meadow oat grass Avenula pratensis, quaking grass Briza media, sheep's fescue Festuca ovina, with glaucous sedge Carex flacca and spring sedge Carex caryophyllea. Herbs are abundant and typically include salad burnet Poterium sanguisorba, bird's foot trefoil Lotus corniculatus and mouse ear hawkweed Pilosella officinarum. Although present throughout the site, small scabious Scabiosa columbaria, fairy flax Linum catharticum, thyme Thymus praecox and lady's bedstraw Galium verum occur at a higher frequency in the side dale. Early purple orchid Orchis mascula is found in the main dale. On the deeper soils of the north facing slopes of the main side dales, the grassland is similar to more northern limestone grasslands and can be distinguished by an abundance of sedges including carnation sedge Carex panicea in addition to spring sedge and glaucous sedge. Grass of Parnassus Parnassia palustris, a species at the southern edge of its distribution in Britain, also occurs in this community. An uncommon grassland type in the Peak District is found on west facing slopes of the main dale. It is characterised by a herb rich sward high in lime loving species, with stemless thistle Cirsium acaule a plant at the northern edge of its British distribution in the Peak District found throughout. This community contains herbs such as the locally uncommon kidney vetch Anthyllis vulneraria, carline thistle Carlina vulgaris and autumn gentian Gentianella amarella. The tops of the dale sides have grassland characterised by a lack of meadow oat and abundance of common bent Agrostis capillaris and sheep's fescue, with species more indicative of acidic conditions such as tormentil Potentilla erecta, sweet vernal grass Anthoxanthum odoratum and around rocky outcrops, the sward becomes more species rich with glaucous sedge, mouse ear hawkweed, common cats ear Hypochaeris radicata, field wood rush Luzula campestris, common dog violet Viola riviniana and thyme. Mountain pansy, Viola lutea, at the southern edge of its distribution in England, is also found on these leached soils. Neutral grassland communities have developed on areas of deeper brown earths scattered throughout the main dale. These support species such as adders tongue Ophioglossum vulgatum and pignut Conopodium majus although a calcareous influence is still apparent with species such as salad burnet and lady's bedstraw. Small areas of dense and scattered hawthorn Crataegus monogyna scrub occur on the slopes where the side dales join the main dale.
Species mentioned
Show the 29 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