NY9039 : Spring Sandwort (Minuartia verna), Low Slitt Mine
taken 15 years ago, near to Westgate, County Durham, England
is locally common here growing on the almost bare stony soil of the former washing floor of the Low Slitt Lead Mine in the valley of the Middlehope Burn NY9039 : Former washing floor of Low Slitt Lead Mine. Because of the high levels of toxic heavy metal elements in the soil, few other plants can grow. Spring Sandwort (locally, 'Leadwort') is however, a metallophyte, specifically adapted to these conditions, and grows on lead mine spoil heaps all over the north of England and in a few other places with special conditions LinkLink
(Archive Link ) The North Pennines Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) became the first area in Britain to be awarded the status of European Geopark in June 2003 and was a founding member of the Global Geoparks Network in 2004.
Link
The three mile Geotrail from Westgate north along the Middlehope Burn including the lead mining area of Slitt Wood and West Rigg Opencut.
An audio-visual guide can be downloaded here:
Link
In 1997, Low Slitt became a scheduled monument protected by law and classified as of national importance. In 2008, a partnership between the landowner, Natural England and English Heritage was formed to consolidate the site and preserve the remains.
West Rigg Open Cutting SSSI Link
English Heritage Scheduled Monument, Middlehope Shield and Low Slit lead mines and ore works (1015825): Link
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- Grid Square
- NY9039, 217 images (more nearby 🔍)
- Photographer
- Andrew Curtis (more nearby)
- Date Taken
- Friday, 13 May, 2011 (more nearby)
- Submitted
- Sunday, 15 May, 2011
- Subject Location
-
OSGB36:
NY 9056 3913 [10m precision]
WGS84: 54:44.8222N 2:8.8901W - Camera Location
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OSGB36: NY 9056 3913
- View Direction
- Northeast (about 45 degrees)
