Barrow Burn Meadows facts for kids

Barrow Burn Meadows is a very special place in Northumberland, England. It is known as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). This means it is protected because it has a rare type of hay meadow. These meadows are full of many different kinds of plants, which is unusual today.

Where Are the Meadows?

Barrow Burn Meadows are two fields in the north-east of England. They are located in the county of Northumberland. The total area of these fields is about 5.4 hectares. That's roughly the size of eight football fields!

The meadows are about 4.3 kilometers (2.7 miles) south of the border with Scotland. They are also about 7.2 kilometers (4.5 miles) north-west of the village of Alwinton. You can find them on the side of a hill. This hill faces south-west, and it's on the north bank of the upper River Coquet. The meadows rise from about 250 meters to 280 meters above sea level. The land around them is mostly hilly moorland.

These meadows are special because they have so many different plant species. This is very different from many modern farms. Modern farms often use artificial fertilisers and reseed their fields. This can make them less diverse. Other similar protected hay meadows in the area include Aules Hill Meadows and Barrow Meadow.

What Plants Grow Here?

Barrow Burn Meadows is a "northern hay meadow." This means it has a rich mix of different grasses and many types of herbs. It's like a natural garden!

You can find many kinds of grasses here. Some examples are sweet vernal-grass, crested dog's-tail, and red fescue. Other grasses include tufted hair-grass, creeping bent, and Yorkshire fog. Yellow oat-grass is also present.

The meadows are also home to many beautiful herbs. These include wood crane's-bill, pignut, and bitter vetch. You might also spot meadow vetchling, rough and autumn hawkbit, and cat's-ear. Other common plants are selfheal, common bird's-foot trefoil, and yellow rattle. You can also find changing forget-me-not, common knapweed, and oxeye daisy.

The southern field has some unique plants. These include smooth, hairy, and intermediate lady's mantle. The northern field supports eyebright, quaking grass, and melancholy thistle.

One part of the northern field is not very well drained. This means it can be quite wet. This area supports special plants like compact rush. Several types of sedges also grow here, such as glaucous sedge and common sedge. You might also see oval sedge and pale sedge. Other plants in this wet area include marsh marigold, ragged robin, and meadowsweet. Greater bird's-foot trefoil and common spotted-orchid also thrive here.

Experts check on the health of Barrow Burn Meadows regularly. In 2012, one part of the meadows was doing very well. In 2014, another part was getting better, but still needed some care. They were looking closely at the balance between the herbs and grasses.