Skiddaw Group SSSI
| Skiddaw Group SSSI | |
|---|---|
IUCN category IV (habitat/species management area) | |
Skiddaw from Brandy Gill | |
| Nearest town | Keswick, Cumbria |
| Coordinates | 54°40′08″N 3°06′07″W / 54.669°N 3.102°W |
| Area | 10,256 ha (39.60 sq mi) |
| Average elevation | 490 m (1,610 ft) |
| Max. elevation | 930 m (3,050 ft) |
| Min. elevation | 126 m (413 ft) |
| Designation | SSSI |
Skiddaw Group SSSI is a site of special scientific interest in the Lake District High Fells, England. Its shape is approximately a rough circle centred near Great Calva, with an area of 10,256.3 hectares (39.600 sq mi). The high ground creates a watershed between the Caldew Operational Catchment with water flowing north towards Carlisle, and the Ellen and West Coast and Derwent Operational Catchments flowing towards the west coast at Workington and Maryport.
The SSSI is designated for its flora and fauna, and for its geology. The geology includes the Skiddaw Group of sedimentary rock formations, and the Caldbeck Fells former mining area. Fells above 650m include High Pike, Carrock Fell, Knott, Great Calva, and Bowscale Fell. The highest peaks are in the Skiddaw area, including Skiddaw itself, Long Side, Carl Side, Little Man, Lonscale Fell and, further east, Blencathra.
The SSSI is divided into "units" which are used as the level of geographic detail for reporting overall features and conditions. Each unit is identified by the Ordnance Survey grid reference at the centre of the unit, its area in hectares, the date it was last surveyed, and the drainage catchment it is located in. For example Bassenthwaite Common, which is unit 27, is nearly 700 ha (2.7 sq mi) centred at NY252299 in the Dash beck catchment. The habitat is there is dwarf shrub heath which, when surveyed in November 2010, was in an "unfavourable – recovering" condition.