Oakshaw Ford

Site of Special Scientific Interest · 55.0763, -2.7692

Open in the interactive map →

Also within

Cumbria County

Condition (Natural England)

Unfavourable Declining (1)
UnitFeatureConditionArea (ha)Assessed
NY509760 — Unfavourable Declining 6.39 2022-03-30

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

Fast flowing river and stream

Geology & landscape

Mining / Industrial: Quarry · Geological Period: Carboniferous · Rock Type: Limestone

Landscape processes: Coastal, Volcanic / Igneous

Description

Description Oakshaw Ford consists of a series of cliff, quarry and river bed exposures extending over approximately 750 metres along the River Black Lyne south of Oakshaw Ford Bridge, about 15 kilometres north of Brampton. The Lower Carboniferous rock outcrops of this locality lie on the northern margin of the' Oakshaw Coalfield' and include a sequence of sandstones, limestone, shales and coal seams straddling the Holkerian Asbian Stage boundary. It is the type locality for the Clattering Band, the Oakshaw Coal and the Oakshaw Limestone. A tuff band provides correlation with the Glencartholen Volcanic beds of the River Esk. The Clattering Band, which marks that base of the Upper Border Group and also the base of the Asbian Stage, contains an exceptional coral and brachiopod fauna, with the corals Lithostrotion spp. preserved in growth position. Oakshaw Ford is of considerable importance for studies of Dinantian palaeontology, stratigraphy and palaeogeography within the Northumberland Trough.

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