Meathop Woods and Quarry

Also within

Cumbria County LAKE DISTRICT National Park

Condition (Natural England)

Climate exposure

This is about exposure to a nationwide pressure this habitat type carries — not a verdict on this site's own management.

Habitats

Mixed scrub, Montane scrub

Geology & landscape

Mining / Industrial: Quarry · Geological Period: Carboniferous · Rock Type: Carboniferous Limestone, Limestone

Landscape processes: Coastal

Description

Area,49.2 hectares 121.5 ac Description Biology The site is located on a Carboniferous limestone hill approximately two kilometres north east of Grange over Sands. The hill rises to a height of fifty five metres and overlooks the north western shore of the Kent estuary. Native broad leaved woodland covers most of the site and limestone cliffs, grassland, scrub and a disused quarry are also included. The woodland is on limestone and is a diverse and relatively undisturbed example of this habitat which is scarce in Britain. It is similar in type to woodland in Whitbarrow SSSI although it is not as extensive. The site has a history of use for fundamental research into woodland ecology and has been included in long term studies under the international Biological Programme. The site also supports an out standing assemblage of plants and invertebrates. The woodland is predominantly ash hazel with oak and birch. small leaved lime Tilia cordata and wych elm Ulmus glabra cover more limited areas. Throughout the wood there is a variety of other tree, shrub and climber species, including yew Taxus baccata, purging buckthorn Rhamnus cathartica, spindle Euonymus europaeus, traveller’s joy Clematis vitalba and honeysuckle Lonicera periclymenum. The ground flora is varied, brambles Rubus fruticosus agg. and dog’s mercury Mercurialis perennisare abundant while ramsons Allium ursinum, wood false brome Brachypodium sylvaticum and primrose Primula vulgaris are locally frequent. Other species present include early purple orchid Orchis mascula, butterfly orchid Platanthera chlorantha and herb paris Paris quadrifolia. The steep slopes on the southern borders of the wood have been partly quarried for limestone in the past. Rock rose Helianthemum nummularium, rusty back fern Asplenium ceterach and bloody crane’s bill Geranium sanguineum grow on the cliff ledges and of particular note is the presence of the rare Lancastrian whitebeam Sorbus lancastriensis. Among other species are several ferns including sea spleenwort Asplenium marinum. The disused quarry floor is now a mosaic of bare rock, grassland and scrub. It supports a particularly rich flora including several rare and uncommon species such as dark red helleborine Epipactis atrorubens, fly orchid Ophrys insectifera and adder’s tongue fern Ophioglossum vulgatum. An important feature of the site is the presence of a diverse assemblage of molluscs including several uncommon and rare species. Geology Meathop Quarry is of high geological interest as it provides the finest known exposures of an important limestone layer known as the Martin Limestone, originally formed in the early Carboniferous Period of geological history, about 335 million years ago. The rock faces demonstrate a great variety of features illustrating many aspects of the environment in which the limestone originally formed. The limestones are very rich in fossils and Meathop Quarry is recognised as a classic site for the study of the marine organisms that flourished in the Lower Carboniferous sea. This is a very important locality for many aspects of the geological study of Lower Carboniferous rocks. A technical description of the geological interest can be obtained from the Nature Conservancy Council, the simple statement given here should not be regarded as comprehensive.

Species mentioned

Insects to look out for

These moths, butterflies and beetles are known to feed on plants recorded at this site, and carry a notable UK conservation status — but a host-plant being present doesn't mean the insect has actually been recorded here. Treat this as "worth watching for," not a confirmed sighting.

Host-plant data: Cook et al. (2025), Traits data for the butterflies and macro-moths of Great Britain and Ireland, 2024, UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology / Butterfly Conservation; and Padovani et al. (2020), Database of Insects and their Food Plants (DBIF), UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (both Open Government Licence). Contains data supplied by UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology.

Plant communities