BSBINews103

Notes - Damage to the Northern Pennines by the use of Motorcycles and Quad-bikes 7On the southern slopes of Cross Fell facingLittle Dun Fell deep ruts have been madethrough some fine Sphagnum lawns with peatydebris churned up by the revving wheels andthrown onto the surface giving an unpleasantdamaged appearance to a previously pristinesite.Just below this area more ruts have effectivelyre-directed a small drainage channel fromrunning down the east side of the fells to thewest (see photos below).Deep tyre ruts re-directing water flow. Both photos © L.Robinson, 2005Areas between Cross Fell and Great Dun FellThe motorcycle and quad-bike damage is at itsmost obvious in these areas. FJR notes howdeep tyre ruts have damaged an area of montanemire. There are extensive flushed areas on allsides ofthese summits varying in pH, the morecalcareous flushes on the eastern flanks of thesefells supporting Saxifraga hirculus (MarshSaxifrage), Sedum villosum, Juncus triglumis(Three-flowered Rush), Epilobium alsinifolium(Chickweed Willowherb), Epilobium anagallidifolium(Alpine Willowherb), Alopecurusborealis and many other associated species alldependent on the fragile drainage systemsabove them remaining intact.Another remarkable flush with thousands ofheads of Alopecurus borealis extends from aspring on the north side of Great Dun Fell, justbelow the summit almost to the lowest pointbetween Great Dun Fell and Little Dun Fell.Even more remarkable was the discovery in2005 in the same flush, of four extensivepatches of Carex aquatilis (Water Sedge),covering an area of 860m 2 , not previouslyrecorded in England in a montane locality (FIR2005): previous sites are by rivers or in lakesideswamps. Unfortunately this flush has seen a lotof motorcycle and quad-bike damage. In early2006 a tractor and trailer was driven through themain Carex aquatilis patch causing some deepruts. This use was sanctioned by EnglishNature in connection with the erection of a newfence and gate at Tees Head north of Little DunFell, which is to be part of the 'reheafing' ofsheep to particular ranges. Unfortunately, theboggy nature of the ground at the saddles limitsthe options for routes across the ground forwheeled vehicles. For legitimate uses such asthis, much care needs to be taken in attemptingto find a drier route avoiding the more sensitiveareas.On the south facing slope of Little Dun Fell tothe east of the Pennine Way bikers have runthrough a fine base-rich flush system with therare Arctic-alpine moss Meesia uliginosa.Their tracks are not only destroying the plantsbut radically altering the dynamics ofthe drainageof these flushes.Knock Ore Gill & Green CastleThis area has some of the best Saxifraga hircu­Ius flushes on the western side of the Pennines.In 2003 and 2004 it was noted that a quad-bikehad been attempting to ride up one of thesesteep flushes. In August 2005 over the bankholiday week-end even more serious damagewas done to this flush by people sliding downon a discarded towel; only time will tell whetherthis will heal or wash out (see photo p. 8).Species present in these flushes includeAlopecurus borealis, Carex vaginata, Catabrosaaquatica (Water Whorl-grass), Juncustriglumis, Saxifraga hypnoides and Sedumvillosum. A small colony of Myosotis alpestris(Alpine forget-me-not) has a few visible motorcycletracks passing nearby (see Cover photo).