Nestling amid the steep green hills and dales of grit and limestone in the Northwest corner of Derbyshire, there is situated the beautifully picturesque spa town of Buxton. Surrounded by the boundaries of the world famous Peak National Park, Buxton has been renown for its well of living blue waters ever since the Romans formally occupied the area some two thousand years ago. They formally gave it the splendid name, Aquae Arnemetiae.

Many of the flowering plants found in and around Buxton today, are former legacies of when the Romans came to Britain. They introduced many plants, not only for their culinary and medicinal uses, but also to be used in the making of natural dyes for their cloth.

Fox and Cubs


Common Dog violet

Today's Botanists can find many of these plants in and around the Buxton area. Its rich diversity yields in excess of six hundred or so flowering plants, including grasses and ferns. Most of the local woodlands derive from the town's early days when quarrying for grit and limestone was needed for use as building materials, it was therefore necessary to hide these ugly open-cast workings from the delicate gaze of the Victorians who, once resided in the town of Buxton during the nineteenth and early part of the twentieth centuries. Here then, are a few of our favourite local botanical sites and habitats that are readily and better explored by foot wherever possible :

BERRY CLOUGH Open moorland : acid soil over grit/sandstone, mudstones and shales. This wild and inhospitable valley sits high above, and to the west of Buxton at around 479m above sea level. This is one of our favourite ways to gain access down into the beautiful Goyt valley. Up here, the beautiful heathers come into their own and stretch away as far as the eye can see. The moorland quite often feels stark and desolate, save for the odd sheep grazing here and there. It is none-the-less very attractive, where a walk is often accompanied by the sounds and flight of the grouse, for which this moorland is maintained, and the curlew. Many of the species of flora are found in ground hugging colonies, so as to survive in the hostile environmental weather conditions that occur here most of the year. The flora itself is similar to what can be found within the Goyt valley, Ericas, Ling, Bilberry, Dandelion, Milkwort, Bedstraw, cotton grass, potamageton, viola and Bracken can all be seen in very large numbers.

GOYT VALLEY A very picturesque and pleasant valley that runs towards the north and is the birthplace of the river Goyt. The valley consists of two very large reservoirs, the Goyt and the Fernilee, both are excellent places to watch a large variety of bird life which includes, Canada Geese, Sandpiper, Mallard and a frequent visitor, the Osprey. For the plant hunter, there is a rich diversity of heathland flora that includes, Gorse, Bracken, Mountain Pansy, Honeysuckle, Ling, Erica, Milkwort, Lousewort, Bilberry, Crowberry, Ash, Beech, Scots Pine, European Larch, Tormentil, Bluebell, Dog Violet, Bedstraw and Turkey Oak. The valley is also renown for its Rhododendron varieties, which were planted on the old Grimshaw estate, forming part of their garden display. The house itself was demolished when the reservoir was built, now only ruins remain in situ. This valley is designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest and lies over Gritstone, shales and Peat. Goyt Valley Walk and Pictures

LIGHTWOOD Reservoir area : acid soil and marshland fed by stream water over grit/sandstone and head deposits. Mainly open and very exposed, but there is some mixed woodland, Scots Pine, Beech and Sycamore, where access is gained by a waymarked foot path that leads high up to a marvellous look-out to the west, and also affording excellent views far over Buxton itself, and the Limestone hills and valleys towards the south and east.

The flora consists of Bracken, Lesser Spearwort, Gorse, Tormentil, Milkwort, Mountain Pansy, Willowherb, Foxglove. Ragged Robin, Wood Sorrel, Bedstraw, Hard Fern and many Grasses, Sedge, Carex, Rush and other floral delights.

GRIN WOODS

Deciduous woodland and open pasture over old lime-ash waste and Carboniferous Limestone. This area is also the local country park and another of Buxton's Sites of Special Scientific interest. Grin Country Park has a great deal to interest both the Botanist, Naturalist and visitor alike.

This whole area is packed with a huge variety of flora which is almost second to none in this region. You'll find flowers of Woodland, Heath and indeed Alpine meadow too... a veritable paradise for the plant hunter.

Among its delights are, Frog Orchids, Mountain Pansy, Green Hellebore, Yellow Rattle, Mountain Everlasting, Juniper, Common and Heath Spotted Orchids, Lady's Mantle, Cotoneaster, Fragrant Orchid, Southern and Northern Marsh Orchids, Ground Thistle.

Harebell, Eyebright, Autumn Gentian, Grass of Parnassus, Wood Anemone, Salix Repens, Common Twayblade, Toothwort, Speedwells, Sweet Cicely, Dog Violet and lots more besides.

The woodland contains many fine Beech trees, something that particularly reminds us of the old Beech hangers of the Downland country in southern England.

A walk through these woods to the highest point of this park, where you will discover Solomon's temple which stands over an ancient burial mound.

It is here, you will find one of the best vantage points to view the whole of Buxton.

In fact, the breath-taking scene set out before you, stretches away to the horizon throughout 360°.

Angelica, Goat Willow, Wild Strawberry, Wild Arum, Monkey Flower, Feverfew, London Pride, Ox-eye Daisy, Valerian, Hawkweeds, Sweet Woodruff, Wood Forget me not, Clustered Bell-flower, Globe Flower, Spring Cinquefoil, Oxford Ragwort, Field Scabious, Viburnum, Enchanters Nightshade, Greater Bell-flower etc., and a wide variety of other flowering plants including Grasses, Ferns and Sedges.

For those who like to explore along this route entirely by foot, you will have to be aware of the heavy volume of goods traffic and cars that pass along the A6.

THE WYE VALLEY

Narrow river valley closest to Buxton cutting through Carboniferous Limestone and river deposits. Mixed woodland throughout, some marshy areas developed by flooding in winter. This valley also carries the main A6 trunk road and the Railway that runs around to the Tunstead quarries and beyond.

The valley holds many habitats that provide the diligent plant hunter with a rich variety of flora waiting to be rediscovered. What can be found?

Well, there are Ash, Elm, Horse Chestnut, Yew, Scots Pine, Whitbeam, Lime, Sycamore, Beech, Hawthorn, Rowan and Alder. The flowers are far more numerous in variety, Nottingham Catchfly.

Betony, Bugle, Ramsons, Water Avens, Herb Bennet, Figwort, Moschatel, Ivy, Garden Arabis, Red Campion, Opposite-leaved Golden Saxifrage, Water Crowfoot, Bluebell, Lesser Celandine, Brambles, Raspberry, Wild Cherry, Sanicle, Hedge Parsley, Rosebay Willowherb.

VALLEYS OFF THE WYE :
CUNNINGDALE

Wide and open valley that consists mainly of scrub with a small area consisting of mixed woodland at the lower end. Limestone geology throughout. In recent years, this dry valley was designated a Special Site of Scientific Interest and rightly so, for in its entirety, it contains one of the most diverse and beautiful species of flora to be seen anywhere in the Peak District.

This dale can be accessed from the A6 road in the Wye valley, or from Buxton, off the Tongue Lane Industrial Estate at Fairfield. It is grazed by cattle at the northern end, but in most part left to nature and fire to keep the scrub at bay.

There are a number of stiles and gates to negotiate along the way. The southern end has a history of quarrying during the pre and post war years, and there are the remains of lime kilns to testify to the existence and extent of the quarrying carried out here.

The dale is also a quiet and very peaceful place, and although not unattractive, it is not as scenic as many of the other valleys of the Wye. However, it's botany tells another story, for it is here you'll discover many surprises, along with a number of locally rare species.

There are Globe Flower, Early Purple Orchid, Cowslip, Primroses, Herb Robert, Clustered Bell-flower, Saw-Wort, Mountain St John's Wort, Bedstraw, Lady's Mantle, Silverweed, Kidney Vetch, Spring Cinquefoil, Mossy Saxifrage, Meadow Vetchling, Melancholy Thistle, Bird's Foot Trefoil.

Bloody Cranesbill, Shining Cranesbill, Tormentil ( normally found on Gritstone, but here found in large numbers on lime), Meadow Saxifrage, Common Spotted Orchid, Twayblade, Ground Ivy, Red Campion, Wild Strawberry, Green Hellebore, Wood Anemone, Bitter Vetchling, Quaking Grass, Pignut.

Salad Burnet, Hazel, Dog Violet, Hairy Violet, Raspberry, Bilberry ( another escape from Gritstone ), Pearly Everlasting, Milkwort, Grass of Parnassus, Autumn Gentian, Crosswort.

Wild Thyme, Ox-eye Daisy, Cuckoo Flower, Black Medic, Dame's Violet, Greater Knapweed, Fragrant Orchid, Devil's Bit Scabious, Biting Stonecrop, Tufted Vetch, Bush Vetch, Dog Rose, Hartstongue Fern plus many other Grasses, Ferns, Rushes and Sedges.


The botanist will find much enjoyment from exploring this dale during early summer months.

COWDALE

A lovely very steep high-sided valley with exposed limestone cliff faces at its upper end. A road runs right through it climbing to meet with the small village bearing the same name. The flora is extremely interesting for such a short valley.

On the rocks, one can find masses of Ivy-leaved Toadflax clinging to the joints split by frosts. Also to be found here are Speedwell, Hawkweeds, Butterbur, Ivy, Herb Bennet, Lesser Celandine, Dog Rose, Cow Parsley, Beech and Scabious, to name but a few.

Just a few yards along from the A6 entrance to Cowdale, there is the rather overgrown semi-gated entrance to Kidtor Dale. This is a very quiet and somewhat narrow track, a public right of way that leads the walker to the small, but attractive village of King Sterndale that is referred to in the Doomsday Book.


Kidtor Dale offers the botanist the opportunity to see the beautiful Lesser Periwinkle, best seen during the month of April, scrambling over the narrow bare Limestone outcrop.

Also waiting to be discovered are, Opposite and Alternate-leaved Golden Saxifrages, Wild Arum, Yew, Beech, Sycamore, Herb Robert, Snowberry, Leopard's bane and Red Campion etc. There are also a number of ferns, including the very beautiful Hartstongue fern.

Another steep high-sided valley. It can be quite difficult to traverse in wet weather. The upper branches of this dale are open scrub, whilst the main valley is fairly wooded in places and has a small stream running through its centre.

If you have an interest in caves, there are some truly fine examples that were once homes to people at the time of the Romano-British occupation and earlier.

This is another botanically rich valley, in which you'll discover many of the following, Marjoram, Cowslips, Bristly Ox-tongue, Dog Violet, Ox-eyed Daisy, Burnet Rose, Meadow Saxifrage, Red Campion, Fragrant and Common Spotted Orchids.

Pyramid Orchid, Twayblade, Hawkweed, Goat Willow, Silver Birch, Early Forget-me-not, Shining Cranesbill, Daisy, Willowherb, Hawthorn, Silverweed, Buttercups.

Eyebright, Wild Strawberry, Barren Strawberry, Blackthorn, Bird's Foot Trefoil, St John's Worts plus many more are seen throughout this very beautiful valley...

This includes the rare Nottingham Catchfly, plus Bluebell, Sweet Woodruff, White Dead Nettle, Wood Sorrel, Columbine, Ramsons, Hedge Garlic, Greater and Lesser Stitchwort, Common Mousear, Jacob's Ladder, Common Mullein, Figwort. Monkey Flower, Rockrose, Self Heal, Mouse Ear Hawkweed, Purging Flax, Mountain Pansy, Whitebeam, Water Crowfoot, Kidney Vetch, Whitlow Grass, Harebell, Angelica, Cowslip, Early Purple Orchid, Scots Pine & hundreds of other wild flowers and plants found in great numbers throughout the whole area.

There are many local sites apart from the above, far too numerous to list here, all containing a variety of habitats that are truly well worth a lengthy visit. It is advisable to consult the O/S series 1:25 000 map in the pathfinder guides. These point out all of the public rights of way, since the area around footpaths are usually very rich in botanical species.

Although we are primarily concerned with the local flora here, a few words about some other forms of our natural history, will not go amiss. With the fantastic array of wild flowers we must not forget that there is also a large variety of Bees, Moths and Butterflies that rely upon these for food, all living in these locations. There is also many wonderful species of Mushroom and Toadstool, Mosses and Liverworts.

There can be no doubt, that with Buxton as a centre, the Peak District has a lot to offer the visiting and residentnaturalist alike.