Late August or early September is usually the best time to see heather in flower on the moorlands of the Peak District, and this year is no exception. Out of the three types of wild heather in the area, Ling … Continue reading Ling Heather in its rare white form
There are estimated to be over 5,000 breading pairs of Red Grouse on the heather covered moorlands of the Dark Peak area of the Peak District, so it is not unusual to see them on our guided walks. The males can … Continue reading Red Grouse on the moors
This weekend, Ling Heather has been just about at its best on the Peak District moors. It is the most common of 3 types of heather that grows in the Peak District. As well as looking beautiful when in flower, … Continue reading Ling Heather on the Moors
Now is a great time to see the ling heather on the moors in all its glory. Whole moorlands in the Peak District appear to be carpeted in purple! The heather has been late flowering this year, probably due to the cooler than usual and wet weather that we have experienced over the summer. The displays of flowering heather that we have seen over the weekend on our half day guided walks and Derwent Edge Walk, have however been well worth waiting for. Continue reading Ling Heather on the Moors
Yesterday we enjoyed a short walk onto Stanton Moor from the village of Birchover. As well as being carpeted in beautiful purple ling heather, there are also a wealth of interesting features on the moor to marvel over. Stanton Moor is believed to have once been a very special place to our ancestors. In Bronze age times the landscape would have been very different with fertile farmland, and timber roundhouses scattered over the area. Evidence has been found all over the moor of field boundaries, burial mounds, and stone circles. The best known stone circle is the Nine Ladies. Local legend … Continue reading The wonders of Stanton Moor
This morning our ‘Nature Walk’ took us onto the Peak District moorland along Burbage Edge and across the beautiful Burbage Basin. It is a wonderful time to be walking on the moors as the heather is just beginning to come into flower. It will be a few weeks yet however before it is at its best. There are three types of heather in the Peak District. Ling Heather is by far the most common and it is the Ling Heather that gives the impression of our hills and moorlands being carpeted in purple. Less common is the Bell Heather which has … Continue reading Three types of heather on the moors
Eyam Moor Every year the Peak District Tourist Board organise a two week long walking festival in the Peak District and today was our first walk in the 2011 festival. On a beautiful sunny day we walked from Hathersage, over the stepping stones over the river Derwent where we saw some newly hatched ducklings. Then up onto Offerton Moor and Smelting Hill, with a wealth of spring flowers to see on the way, including at lower levels bluebells, wood anemones, celandine, and wild primroses. As we got higher onto the moorland, the bilberries were in flower along with cowberries and of course gorse … Continue reading A wonderful walk!
They have started burning the heather on the peakland moors. It has been customary for centuries to burn small patches of heather during the early part of the year. This started in the days when grouse shooting was important to the local economy. To thrive, Red Grouse need a mixture of different heights of heather and low growing plants. They nest in the older deep heather and feed on the new shoots of young heather. As these birds never travel very far from their birth place, the buring of heather in small patches ensures that they always have the right mixture of … Continue reading Heather Burning
View Full Album August is a great month to see the Peak District moorlands in their full glory, covered in flowering ling heather. Whole hillsides take on a purple appearance whilst closer inspection reveals tiny clusters of flowers. It is also a good time for insects such as bees which are attracted by the heather. We actually have three different types of heather in the Peak District: Bell Heather, Cross Leaved Heather, and Ling Heather. The first two are well worth seeking out, but it is the latter that is the most common which creates the beautiful purple … Continue reading Ling Heather on the Moors
After several days of rain, the high moorlands in the Peak District are looking beautiful. The peat bogs which has been drying out are now wet and spongy again. Ling heather is just starting to come into flower, and bilberry bushes are starting to bear fruit. We have seen an unusually large number of young red grouse this week on Stanage Edge, Bamford Moor, and on Kinder Scout. We have also seen several Golden Plover, known as the ‘watchmen of the moors’. Continue reading The high moorlands in July
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