Peak Experience

 

Dark Green Fritilliry Derbyshire Wildlife Trust  Oxeye Daisy by Ben le Bas Natural England

 

Grasslands vary as habitats, according to the pH of the soil and whether they are managed for grazing or as hay meadow.

In the calcareous (alkaline) limestone dales of the White Peak, the soils are dry, thin and nutrient-poor and many herbs and flowers grow among the grasses.  Here you’ll see orchids, rock rose, salad burnet and small scabious.

 

In the Dark and South West Peak acidic grasslands, you’ll find wet rushy pastures and wet flushes (where springs emerge and water trickles overground).  Heath bedstraw, harebell and tormentil thrive here.

 

Neutral grasslands are found throughout the Peak District, with species such as knapweed and ox-eye daisy.

 

 

Most Peak District grasslands are used to graze sheep or cattle.  But in some places farmers still grow the grass for winter feed stocks, as hay meadows or silage.

 

Yellow hay rattle, knapweed and meadow buttercup colour the hay meadows.  In spring, farmers remove livestock to allow grass and herbs to grow.  In late summer they cut the meadow plants for use as winter feed. Over the last 100 years most hay meadows have disappeared.  Many farmers have changed over to silage making, because silage is less weather dependent and farmers can take two or even three cuts a year.

 

The unimproved grazing grasslands are important habitats for invertebrates and nesting birds like lapwings and skylarks.  The limestone grasslands of the dales are particularly rich in insect life.  Look out for brown argus, small heath and (the orange and black coloured) dark green fritillary butterflies.  There are rare moths and beetles and thousands of other species.  Meadow ants live here and harmless, snake-like slow worms.  You might even see a hare.

 

Visit Edale to see acid grassland and hay meadows.  In the Wye Valley and Lathkill Dale you’ll discover calacerous and neutral grasslands and hay meadows.