Far High House Meadows is a Site of Special Scientific Interest in Upper Weardale in west County Durham, England. It consists of three fields, located just south of Burnhope Reservoir, some 3 km west of the village of Ireshopeburn. Two of the fields are maintained as northern hay meadows by traditional farming methods, without re-seeding or the application of artificial fertilisers; the third is grazed as pasture.
Far High House Meadows | |
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Location | MAGiC MaP |
Nearest town | Stanhope |
Coordinates | 54°44′23″N 2°15′3″W / 54.73972°N 2.25083°W |
Area | 5.5 ha (14 acres) |
Established | 1990 |
Governing body | Natural England |
Website | Far High House Meadows SSSI |
The hay fields are dominated by common bent, Agrostis capillaris, and sweet vernal-grass, Anthoxanthum odoratum, and support a diversity of forbs, among which globe-flower, Trollius europaeus, and marsh-marigold, Caltha palustris, are well represented, with early-purple orchid, Orchis mascula, among the species present in the wetter areas.
The pasture is a mix of acidic upland grassland, dry grassland and flushes, the last dominated by rushes and sedges. [1]
References
edit- ^ "Far High House Meadows : Reasons for SSSI status" (PDF). Natural England. Retrieved 1 April 2022.