Black Dyke Moss

Downs, Moorland in Lancashire South Lakeland

England

Black Dyke Moss

Tom Ghyll at Dawn Credit: Anthony Parkes

Black Dyke Moss is a vast expanse of moorland located in Lancashire, England. Spanning over 300 hectares, it is a prominent feature of the landscape in the area. The moss is situated near the village of Downs and is known for its unique flora and fauna.

The moorland is characterized by its wet and boggy terrain, making it a suitable habitat for a variety of plant species. It is particularly renowned for its extensive growth of sphagnum moss, which creates a vibrant green carpet across the landscape. This moss not only adds to the aesthetic appeal of the area but also plays a crucial role in maintaining the bog's water retention capacity.

Black Dyke Moss is also home to a diverse range of bird species, attracting birdwatchers and nature enthusiasts. Visitors can spot rare species such as merlins, curlews, and golden plovers during their visit. Moreover, the moss provides an essential breeding ground for many birds, ensuring their survival.

The moss plays a vital role in the overall ecosystem of Lancashire. It acts as a natural carbon sink, absorbing and storing large amounts of carbon dioxide, thus contributing to the fight against climate change. Furthermore, it serves as a natural floodplain, retaining excess water during heavy rainfall and mitigating potential flooding risks in the surrounding areas.

Black Dyke Moss is a cherished natural landmark in Lancashire, offering visitors a unique opportunity to immerse themselves in the beauty of the moorland landscape, observe rare bird species, and appreciate the significant ecological functions it provides.

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Black Dyke Moss Images

Images are sourced within 2km of 54.371866/-3.0340039 or Grid Reference SD3297. Thanks to Geograph Open Source API. All images are credited.

Tom Ghyll at Dawn

Anthony Parkes

Monk Coniston Hall

Monk Coniston Hall is a National Trust property privately leased to HF Holidays as one of their Country Houses.

Adrian Taylor

Counting House at Monk Coniston

Monk Coniston is a National Trust Property leased by HF Holidays and operated as a country house hotel. There are several buildings on the site; this is the Counting House.

Trevor Littlewood

Birch tree on bracken-strewn slope

The tree is on a hill slope south-west of Tarn Hows. The bracken is of course dead, the residue of the previous year's growth. Wetherlam just shows above knolls at the left side horizon.

Trevor Littlewood

Heading back to Monk Coniston

A walking party on the grit-path heading for the HF country hotel at Monk Coniston. The path is unusual in that it's mapped specifically as a bridleway rather than it being assumed to be a path conventionally adjacent to a motor road.

Trevor Littlewood

Wharton Tarn

The tarn is a small area of water lying just over a kilometre south of Tarn Hows. It appears to be infilling with vegetation.

Trevor Littlewood

Hedge rising at edge of field

The B5285 descends alongside the trimmed hedge which appears to have been grown alongside a fence which it is demolishing as it grows. Highfield House is the large residence at the top of the slope.

Trevor Littlewood

Obstructions to path descending through Guards Wood

Much damage was caused in Guards Wood by Storm Arwen at the end of November 2021 and probably by subsequent winter storms. The summit area of High Guards, the hill on which the wood grows, was badly affected and difficult to access - Link . The path crossing the hill was equally affected by windthrown trees. The awkwardness caused by the two trees across the path in this image was trivial by comparison.

Trevor Littlewood

Monk Coniston

The south-west face of the large house at Monk Coniston which, with land was owned by Beatrix Potter who left it to the National Trust; the Trust still has it. Currently, it's leased by HF holidays who operate it as a country house hotel.

Trevor Littlewood

Damage to woodland path adjacent to road

Along this path close to Tarn Hows there are many fallen trees brought down by the storms of winter 2021-2022. The foreground tree has almost gone and has prised away the path surface passing its base. Sawn tree trunks can be seen beyond and there were many more but not all are victims of those storms. Some felling of trees has been going on because of infection with the Phytophthora ramorum disease.

Trevor Littlewood

Sheep grazing in field beside B5285

The wooded hill, High Guards, rises beyond the field. The nearer trees are not contiguous with the woodland on the hill.

Trevor Littlewood

Yachts at the lakeside - Coniston Water

Neil Theasby

Coniston Old Man

Viewed from Coniston Water near Waterhead.

Adrian Taylor

The western end of Tarn Hows

A beautiful place when there is bracken and snow on the hills. The Langdale Pikes are on the skyline.

Julian Paren

Moorland beside Tarn Hows

If my memory serves me correct (over 50 years ago) this area was National Trust Land immediately adjacent to Tarn Hows. Looking at current images and mapping, the location appears to be tree covered. No doubt a Lakeland connoisseur could put me right. At any rate I was circumnavigating Tarn Hows when the image was taken. I believe it is the Coniston Fells snow-covered beyond.

Julian Paren