Coombs Dale facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Coombs Dale |
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View across Coombs Dale
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| Length | 1.9 miles (3 km) West-East |
| Width | 450 metres (1,476 ft) |
| Depth | 150 metres (492 ft) |
| Geography | |
| Location | Derbyshire, England |
Coombs Dale is a beautiful valley in the Peak District of Derbyshire, England. It's known for its steep sides and dry floor. The valley is carved into hills east of Longstone Moor. You can find the villages of Calver and Stoney Middleton nearby. Sometimes, especially in winter or after heavy rain, springs flow down the valley.
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Coombs Dale: A Special Valley
What is Coombs Dale?
Coombs Dale is a "dry valley" made of Carboniferous Limestone. This type of rock formed about 330 million years ago. Back then, this area was covered by a warm, shallow sea. The limestone is full of fossils from ancient sea creatures.
The valley is about 150 meters (490 feet) deep and 450 meters (1,480 feet) wide. It stretches for about 1.9 miles (3 km) from west to east. The upper part of the valley is called Rough Side.
A Home for Wildlife
Coombs Dale is a very important place for nature. It's a special protected area called a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). This means it has rare plants, animals, or geological features.
Many different plants grow here. You can see ash trees and hazel bushes on the slopes. There are also lots of wildflowers like dogwood, blackthorn, and common rock-rose. Keep an eye out for wild thyme, bloody cranesbill, and lily-of-the-valley. Some rare plants also live here, such as the dark-red helleborine orchid and the fingered sedge.
The valley is also home to beautiful butterflies. You might spot the dark green fritillary or the brown argus butterflies flying around.
Mining History in the Valley
For many centuries, people have mined for minerals around Coombs Dale. Longstone Edge, which is above the valley, has old lead mining sites. You can still see piles of rock and old mine shafts there.
A mine called Sallet Hole Mine was in the middle of Coombs Dale. It was a fluorspar mine that opened in the 1800s and closed in 1998. Fluorspar is a mineral used in many industries. There's also an old quarry at the bottom of the valley.
The Story of Black Harry
At the top of Coombs Dale, you'll find Black Harry Gate. This leads to Black Harry Lane, which was once an old path for packhorses. In the early 1700s, a famous highwayman named Black Harry used to rob travelers on the moors nearby. He was eventually caught and punished.
There used to be a Black Harry Farm, but it was taken down in the 1970s. This was to make way for a lagoon built to treat waste from the fluorspar industry.
Exploring the Dale
Coombs Dale is "Open Access" land. This means the public is allowed to explore it freely. There's an easy path that runs along the bottom of the valley. You can enter the dale from both ends. There are also paths from Stoney Middleton and Calver that lead into the middle of the valley.
Coombs Dale was even shown on a TV show called Walks Around Britain in 2016.
Images for kids
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View across Coombs Dale
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Limestone outcrop above Coombs Dale
