Leck Fell
| Site of Special Scientific Interest | |
  Location in Lancashire  Location in the City of Lancaster district | |
| Area of Search | Cumbria, Lancashire |
|---|---|
| Grid reference | SD669797 |
| Coordinates | Coordinates: 54°12′43″N 2°30′33″W / 54.21196°N 2.50903°W |
| Interest | Geological |
| Area | 703.1 hectare |
| Notification | 1959[1] |
| Location map | English Nature |
Leck Fell is a Site of Special Scientific Interest in Lancashire, England. An area of typically heavily grazed open moorland of rough grass and remnant patches of heather with little or no tree cover, it is characterised by the virtual absence of surface drainage and an extensive subterranean drainage network resulting in cave systems and numerous sink holes.[2] It surrounds the high point of Gragareth (627 metres) between Leck Beck and Kingsdale.
Since 1 August 2016 Leck Fell has been part of the Yorkshire Dales National Park.[3]
History
The pasturing of animals, along with changes in the climate in the later Bronze Age, contributed to deforestation of the open fell sides and the development of hill peat deposits.[2] The present landscape is dominated by long straight enclosure walls of later 18th or 19th century date.[2]
Cave systems
The 87-kilometre (54 mi) Three Counties System which extends from Kingsdale to Barbondale, includes a number of important cave systems lying beneath Leck Fell.These include:
- Death's Head Hole
- Long Drop Cave
- Lost Johns' Cave
- Notts Pot
- Rumbling Hole
- Short Drop Cave - Gavel Pot System
A formal permitting system operates for access to most of the caves, with no caving allowed in April, May and June.[4]
References
- ↑ "Site Name: Leck Beck Head Catchment Area" (PDF). English Nature.
- 1 2 3 "A Landscape Strategy for Lancashire - Landscape Character Assessment". Archived from the original on 2007-10-07. Retrieved 2008-02-03.
- ↑ Yorkshire Dales National Park: Boundary extension
- ↑ "Leck Fell FAQ". Council of Northern Caving Clubs. Archived from the original on 2013-03-01.