Sleightholme Beck Gorge - The Troughs
The Sleightholme Beck Gorge - The Troughs (German: "The Troughs") is a Site of Special Scientific Interest in the Teesdale District in County Durham , England . It is a gorge in the course of the Sleightholme Beck between the hamlet of Sleightholme and its confluence with the River Greta , about 3 km upstream from Bowes .
The gorge is of both biological and geological significance and has been classified as "of national importance" by the Geological Conservation Review .
The gorge is cut into limestone from the Namurium . It is of particular interest because layers of sandstone in the middle of the cut show characteristics typical of a bank. The locations indicate a river delta and a sandbank .
The thin soil layer that has formed on the heels and in the crevices of the limestone and the scree slopes favors the vegetation. Ferns such as the brown-stemmed striped fern , green-stemmed striped fern and fragile bladder fern predominate. Forest plants such as wood sorrel , forest flutter grass and forest ringwort have settled in the shady crevices. Three-fingered saxifrage , shiny cranesbill and spring blooming flowers can be found in the most open places. On the mostly inaccessible slopes there is open bushland, in which the European yew tree is strongly represented.
Dipper and sandpiper have been sighted and are likely to breed in the area.
Individual evidence
- ↑ Sleightholme Beck Gorge - The Troughs (PDF) in English Nature.
Coordinates: 54 ° 30 '10.5 " N , 2 ° 3' 17.4" W.