Hutton Roof Crags
Encyclopedia
Hutton Roof Crags is a hill in south-eastern Cumbria
in north-west England
, located near to the village of Hutton Roof
. It has extensive areas of limestone pavement
as well as grassland
and woodland
. The hill forms the Hutton Roof Crags Site of Special Scientific Interest
and includes the Park Wood National Nature Reserve
.
The hill is part of the Morecambe Bay
Pavements Special Area of Conservation
. A significant proportion of the UK
's 20 km² of limestone pavement is to be found on Hutton Roof Crags and the neighbouring Farleton Knott.
Although part of the hill is grass grazed by sheep, and part is forested, much remains open common land, and it is here that most of the limestone pavement is to be found. However, much has been removed over the years for many purposes including building, agricultural fertiliser, and production of millstones, but is now protected by law and it is an offence to remove any. The limestone is over 300 metres thick, and was laid down during the Carboniferous
period some 350 million years ago. The limestone pavements here occupy an intermediate position between the low-lying pavements of Gait Barrows some 8 km to the west, and those on Ingleborough
, 19 km to the east.
Plants including rigid buckler fern
, angular Solomon’s seal, limestone fern, and dark red helleborine
are to be found on the pavement. The nationally scarce rigid buckler-fern Dryopteris submontana is abundant on Hutton Roof Crags. Blue moor grass is also nationally scarce but abundant here.
Access is possible via the public footpath running across the north of the fell, but is probably easier through the woods to the south-west.
The name Hutton Roof Crags is believed to derive from the Old English language
, and means "crags on hill near farmstead of Rolf".
Cumbria
Cumbria , is a non-metropolitan county in North West England. The county and Cumbria County Council, its local authority, came into existence in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972. Cumbria's largest settlement and county town is Carlisle. It consists of six districts, and in...
in north-west England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, located near to the village of Hutton Roof
Hutton Roof, South Lakeland
Hutton Roof is a village and civil parish in the South Lakeland district of Cumbria, England, close to Kirkby Lonsdale and Hutton Roof Crags. The parish includes the hamlet of Newbiggin. It has a population of 193.-External links:...
. It has extensive areas of limestone pavement
Limestone pavement
A limestone pavement is a natural karst landform consisting of a flat, incised surface of exposed limestone that resembles an artificial pavement. The term is mainly used in the UK where many of these landforms have developed distinctive surface patterning resembling block of paving...
as well as grassland
Grassland
Grasslands are areas where the vegetation is dominated by grasses and other herbaceous plants . However, sedge and rush families can also be found. Grasslands occur naturally on all continents except Antarctica...
and woodland
Woodland
Ecologically, a woodland is a low-density forest forming open habitats with plenty of sunlight and limited shade. Woodlands may support an understory of shrubs and herbaceous plants including grasses. Woodland may form a transition to shrubland under drier conditions or during early stages of...
. The hill forms the Hutton Roof Crags Site of Special Scientific Interest
Site of Special Scientific Interest
A Site of Special Scientific Interest is a conservation designation denoting a protected area in the United Kingdom. SSSIs are the basic building block of site-based nature conservation legislation and most other legal nature/geological conservation designations in Great Britain are based upon...
and includes the Park Wood National Nature Reserve
National Nature Reserves in England
National Nature Reserves in England are managed by Natural England and are key places for wildlife and natural features in England. They were established to protect the most important areas of habitat and of geological formations...
.
The hill is part of the Morecambe Bay
Morecambe Bay
Morecambe Bay is a large bay in northwest England, nearly due east of the Isle of Man and just to the south of the Lake District National Park. It is the largest expanse of intertidal mudflats and sand in the United Kingdom, covering a total area of 310 km².-Natural features:The rivers Leven,...
Pavements Special Area of Conservation
Special Area of Conservation
A Special Area of Conservation is defined in the European Union's Habitats Directive , also known as the Directive on the Conservation of Natural Habitats and of Wild Fauna and Flora...
. A significant proportion of the UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
's 20 km² of limestone pavement is to be found on Hutton Roof Crags and the neighbouring Farleton Knott.
Although part of the hill is grass grazed by sheep, and part is forested, much remains open common land, and it is here that most of the limestone pavement is to be found. However, much has been removed over the years for many purposes including building, agricultural fertiliser, and production of millstones, but is now protected by law and it is an offence to remove any. The limestone is over 300 metres thick, and was laid down during the Carboniferous
Carboniferous
The Carboniferous is a geologic period and system that extends from the end of the Devonian Period, about 359.2 ± 2.5 Mya , to the beginning of the Permian Period, about 299.0 ± 0.8 Mya . The name is derived from the Latin word for coal, carbo. Carboniferous means "coal-bearing"...
period some 350 million years ago. The limestone pavements here occupy an intermediate position between the low-lying pavements of Gait Barrows some 8 km to the west, and those on Ingleborough
Ingleborough
Ingleborough is the second highest mountain in the Yorkshire Dales. It is one of the Yorkshire Three Peaks, the other two being Whernside and Pen-y-ghent. Ingleborough is frequently climbed as part of the Yorkshire Three Peaks Challenge, which is a 24-mile circular challenge walk starting and...
, 19 km to the east.
Plants including rigid buckler fern
Fern
A fern is any one of a group of about 12,000 species of plants belonging to the botanical group known as Pteridophyta. Unlike mosses, they have xylem and phloem . They have stems, leaves, and roots like other vascular plants...
, angular Solomon’s seal, limestone fern, and dark red helleborine
Dark Red Helleborine
The Dark Red Helleborine or Royal Helleborine is an herbaceous plant from the family Orchidaceae.The plant is hardy and has a short rootstalk, often with multiple, fleshy roots. It blooms from June to August with erect, mostly purple inflorescences with dense hair on the tops, standing between 20...
are to be found on the pavement. The nationally scarce rigid buckler-fern Dryopteris submontana is abundant on Hutton Roof Crags. Blue moor grass is also nationally scarce but abundant here.
Access is possible via the public footpath running across the north of the fell, but is probably easier through the woods to the south-west.
The name Hutton Roof Crags is believed to derive from the Old English language
Old English language
Old English or Anglo-Saxon is an early form of the English language that was spoken and written by the Anglo-Saxons and their descendants in parts of what are now England and southeastern Scotland between at least the mid-5th century and the mid-12th century...
, and means "crags on hill near farmstead of Rolf".