Moor House - Upper Teesdale - United Kingdom

Moor House - Upper Teesdale is an upland site in the north of England that is dominated by moorland and grassland vegetation. UK ECN site. Moor House-Upper Teesdale, in the North Pennine uplands, is England's highest and largest terrestrial National Nature Reserve (NNR), a UNESCO Global Geopark and a European Special Protection Area. Habitats include exposed summits, blanket peatlands, upland grasslands, pastures, hay meadows and deciduous woodland. The site is grazed by sheep and comprises of two areas. The Moor House area extends from the upper edge of the Eden Valley, over the Great Dun Fell (848 m), Little Dun Fell and Knock Fell to the River Tees. The geology comprises alternating strata of limestone, sandstone and shale into which the dolerite of the Great Whin Sill intrudes. The gently sloping eastern side of the area is overlain by poorly-drained glacial till, which has led to the development of blanket bog with peat 1-3 m deep. The vegetation is dominated by Eriophorum, Calluna vulgaris and Sphagnum moss. The soils and vegetation on the western side are more variable. The Upper Teesdale area protects unique communities of arctic-alpine plants and other flora and fauna. From Cow Green Reservoir it extends southwards to the summit of Mickle Fell (788 m) and eastward, down the Tees, to High Force waterfall. The geology, soils and vegetation of much of the area are similar to Moor House, but 'sugar limestone' soils, along with damp river-side soils, support many of the rarer plant species.