Campfield Kettle Hole facts for kids
| Site of Special Scientific Interest | |
| Area of Search | Northumberland |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 55°38′12″N 2°13′15″W / 55.63669°N 2.22073°W |
| Interest | Biological |
| Area | 2.92 hectares (7.2 acres) |
| Notification | 1969 |
| Location map | DEFRA MAGIC map |
Campfield Kettle Hole is a special place in northern Northumberland, England. It's called a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). This means it's a protected area because of its unique nature.
A kettle hole is a type of pond that formed a very long time ago. It happened when a huge piece of ice from a glacier got buried and then slowly melted. This left a big hole in the ground that filled with water. Today, Campfield Kettle Hole is a mix of a bog (a wet, spongy area) and a pond.
Where is Campfield Kettle Hole?
Campfield Kettle Hole is located in the north-east of England. It's just south of the border between England and Scotland. You can find it in the county of Northumberland. It's about 0.7 miles (1.1 km) south of the town of Cornhill-on-Tweed.
The pond sits about 31 meters (102 feet) above sea level. The land around it is gently rolling. The pond itself is about 0.09 miles (0.14 km) from north to south and 0.22 miles (0.35 km) from east to west. The western part of the pond always has water. The eastern part sometimes floods. The rest of the pond has filled up with peat, which is decayed plant material.
There are other kettle holes in this area too. For example, Barelees Pond is another one, located about 0.65 miles (1.05 km) east of Campfield.
What Plants Grow Here?
The kettle hole has very wet, deep peat soils. These soils are perfect for a type of wet woodland called a carr. Here, you'll find birch trees and Scots pine trees.
On the ground in the woodland, there are different kinds of bog-mosses, like Sphagnum. You can also see hare's-tail cotton grass, purple moor-grass, and wavy hair-grass.
Around the edge of the western part of the pond, you'll find yellow iris, water plantain, and willow trees. The whole edge of the pond has yellow iris and reed canary-grass.
Interesting Animals and Site Health
A rare type of beetle, called Agabus uliginosus dispar, has been found in the wetter parts of Campfield Kettle Hole. This shows how important this habitat is for different creatures.
In 2013, experts checked the health of Campfield Kettle Hole. They said it was "unfavourable-recovering." This means it was getting better after some past problems. For example, there used to be too many trees growing into the open areas, but this issue has been fixed.
