Dimminsdale

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Derbyshire CountyLeicestershire County

Condition (Natural England)

Geology & landscape

Geological Feature: Karst · Geological Period: Triassic · Rock Type: Dolomite, Limestone, Millstone Grit

Landscape processes: Karst

Description

Description This site contains ancient semi natural woodland of a type uncommon in lowland Britain, one of the largest areas of unimproved acidic grassland remaining in Leicestershire and disused lead workings of national geological importance. Biology The western slopes of Spring Wood support stands of alder Alnus glutinosa and ash Fraxinus excelsior over a ground flora dominated by tufted hair grass Deschampsia cespitosa, male fern Dryopteris filix-mas and bluebell Hyacinthoides non-scripta. The wetter hollows support lady fern Athyrium filix-femina, remote sedge Carex remota, opposite leaved golden saxifrage Chrysosplenium oppositifolium and locally uncommon species such as large bitter cress Cardamine amara and thin spiked wood sedge Carex strigosa. Secondary woodland around old water filled limestone quarries reflects marked differences in the underlying geology, stands of ash and alder in the valley bottom, with a rich ground flora of lime loving plants such as giant bellflower Campanula latifolia and hart’s tongue fern Asplenium scolopendrium, give way to stands of birch Betula spp and pedunculate oak Quercus robur with an acidic woodland ground flora on the millstone grit slopes above. Extensive areas of unimproved grassland also overlie the millstone grit and are dominated by brown bent Agrostis vinealis, wavy hair grass Deschampsia flexuosa and sheep’s fescue Festuca ovina, with frequent heath grass Danthonia decumbens, heath bedstraw Galium saxatile and harebell Campanula rotundifolia. Geology Earl Ferrers mines have enormous potential for the study of mineral genesis. The association of galena two generations, zinc blende, chalcopyrite, calcite two generations, baryte, dolomite and abundant asphaltite is characteristic only of this locality. The mineralising mechanism is unknown but may be related to neptunean mineralisation of Hercynian age invading the Karst topography in Triassic times. The sequence of formation of the mineral veins is complex and contains many elements, but is little understood. Specimens from this locality appear in all the major mineral collections in Britain and in many other parts of the World. All show controversial features which make the material unique. Much more intense research is required to build upon King’s records of the essential mineralogical data.

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.