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53. South West Peak
• Integrated mosaic of landform and vegetation patterns comprising tracts of wild expansive moorland with heather on hill tops and ridges and small scale enclosed farmland with herb-rich hay meadows and rushy pastures in valleys.
• Area of upland flanked by lower hills to the south and west and indented by valleys which broaden to the west into gently undulating lowland as the rivers drain to the Shropshire, Cheshire and Staffordshire Plain.
• Isolated 'gritstone' edges at Ramshaw Rocks and the Roaches providing a dramatic contrast to rolling uplands.
• Long, uninterrupted views from margins to upland areas and vice versa, and contained and intimate around the foothills.
• Fringes to the upland dissected by river valleys with fast flowing streams which create an intricate ridge and valley landscape of distinctive pattern and character.
• Main rivers of the Goyt, Dove, Dane, Manifold, Churnet and Hamps all with their sources in the upland area.
• Economy of the area based on stock rearing (sheep and beef) with some dairy farming and grouse shooting on the moorland.
• Intricate and distinctive field patterns often with historic associations including gritstone walls at higher elevations and hedgerows at lower elevations, with holly prevalent in the lower valleys.
• Farm buildings and villages built predominantly of local stone reflecting local geology and history.
• Small nucleated settlements with extensive dispersed farm landscape, commonly with distinctive and recognisable area of intake.
• Remains of former coal mining activity particularly in the area around Flash.
For further details on this character area and for an introduction to the region, please see the PDF documents in the box at the top right hand side of this page.
