The recent warm, dry weather has been great for walking, but is not so good for the delicate ecosystems of our high moorlands.  Peat bogs on high moorland areas such as Kinder Scout and Bleaklow are becoming really dry.  Areas of peat are more prone to erosion when they dried out, releasing carbon dioxide into the atmosphere and resulting in a reduction in vegetation.  There is also the increased risk of fire.  A lot of work has been done in recent years by organisations such as the Moors for the Future Partnership in blocking gullies and restoring vegetation in an effort to raise the water table, but even this has not been enough to keep the peat bogs wet this year. 

When visiting these beautiful moors, this makes it even more important than ever that we minimise our impact on the environment by choosing our routes carefully to avoid causing further erosion, and by taking every precaution possible to avoid the starting of fires.