Honister Crag SSSI facts for kids
| Site of Special Scientific Interest | |
Honister´s via ferrata with Honister Pass in the background
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| Interest | Biological and geological |
|---|---|
| Notification | 1988 |
| Location map | Magic Map |
Honister Crag SSSI is a special natural area in Cumbria, England. SSSI stands for "Site of Special Scientific Interest." This means the area is very important for its unique plants and rocks.
The Honister Crag SSSI covers a large space, about 303 hectares. That's like 750 football fields! It includes Honister Crag, which gives the site its name, and a nearby mountain called Fleetwith Pike. A road, the B5289, separates it from another SSSI called Buttermere Fells.
Contents
Discover the Plants of Honister Crag
This site is super important for its amazing plants. It has some of the best examples of plant communities found on high mountain ledges in West Cumbria. You can find a mix of plants that grow in mountains and those that prefer lower lands.
Protecting the Plants: Why Management Matters
To keep these special plants safe, the area needs careful looking after. An organization called English Nature (now Natural England) realized they needed to control how many animals grazed there. They also needed to manage how people visited the area.
In 2011, Natural England took action against Honister Slate Mine. The mine had added new tourist attractions without permission. These included an extended via ferrata (a climbing route with fixed cables) and a zip wire. When paying visitors used these, they walked on and damaged the delicate plants. Natural England found the mine responsible for this damage.
Later, in November 2018, the Lake District National Park approved a new, longer zip wire for the mine. This zip wire would run for 1 kilometer from Fleetwith Pike. The Cumbria Wildlife Trust was worried that this new attraction could harm rare alpine flowers.
Exploring the Rocks of Honister Crag
Honister Crag is also a fantastic place to study rocks. It has important examples of rocks from two ancient groups: the Skiddaw Group and the Borrowdale Volcanic Group. Here, you can see where these different types of rocks meet. The Borrowdale Volcanic Group rocks are made from old lava and ash from volcanoes.
Caring for the Geological Features
For geological sites like Honister Crag, the best way to care for them is to keep the rock surfaces clear. This means making sure plants don't cover them up. Sometimes, it also means managing any loose rock pieces. This helps scientists and visitors see the rocks clearly.
Extra Protection for This Special Place
Honister Crag SSSI has even more layers of protection!
Part of a Special Area of Conservation
Since 2005, Honister Crag SSSI has been part of a bigger protected area. This area is called the Lake District High Fells Special Area of Conservation (SAC). This protection comes from European laws called the Habitats Directive. The SAC protects the plants and wildlife, not the rocks. The Buttermere Fells SSSI is also part of this important SAC.
A World Heritage Site Gem
Honister Crag SSSI is located within the Lake District National Park. In 2017, the entire Lake District National Park was named a World Heritage Site. This means it's recognized globally for its unique natural beauty and cultural history. It's considered a "cultural landscape" because people have shaped the land over thousands of years.
