High Peak Moors (Kinder and Bleaklow)

Introduction

A wild landscape, with expansive blanket bog, the High Peak Moors neighbour the very urban areas of Sheffield and Manchester. Being so close to these post-Industrial cities has had its impact, the blanket bog being one of the most damaged in the UK as a result of atmospheric pollution and recreational pressure, in addition to overgrazing and wildfires.

Despite the damage, the fantastic views afforded after only a short train ride from the city makes it very popular, with over 10 million visitors every year.

 

Project Aims

Rewetting the bogs is a big and long-term effort - to achieve it the National Trust will be undertaking a number of tasks:

  • Blocking drains
  • Revegetating bare peat with natural vegetation - spreading lime, seed and fertiliser; spreading cut heather brash; planting plugs e.g. cotton grass
  • Scrub removal
  • Phasing out burning on the blanket bog
  • Stabilise bare peat
  • Reduce grazing numbers.

Restoration Delivered

Restoration achieved to date, working as part of the Moors for the Future Partnership, includes:

  • Installation of 6,000 dams to slow water flow
  • Revegetation of almost 200 hectares of bare eroding peat.

See Moors for the Future Partnership's entry for more information on restoration achieved to date on Bleaklow.

High Peak Moors 50 Year Vision

Priorities:

  • People being inspired - enable people to explore the moors and attract a wider audience
  • People looking after the land - a working landscape that supports rural business and activities
  • Secure and healthy peat bogs - stopping peatland erosion
  • Vibrant wildlife
  • More trees and shrubs in the valleys and cloughs.
{"zoom":12,"lat":"53.451400","lon":"-1.834300","markers":{"0":{"lat":53.4514,"lon":-1.8343}}}

Project Name: High Peak Moors (Kinder and Bleaklow)

Organisation / Lead partner: National Trust

Location: Edale, Derbyshire

Approximate area covered: 1350 ha

Conservation Status: Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), Special Area of Conservation (SAC), Special Protection Area (SPA), National Park (NP), Environmentally Sensitive Area (ESA)

Predominately: Upland

Peat Habitats: Blanket bog

Project Type: Restoration, Management

Year Project Began: 2011

Useful Downloads:

    Image of machinery being used on a peatland to restore the habitat
    Natural Resources Wales announces new funding for peatland restorationA new restoration fund, managed by Natural Resources Wales (NRW), was launched this week in an…
    The IUCN UK Peatland Programme team at the base of Kinder Scout
    Reflecting on 2024: a busy year for peatlandsAs the year draws to a close, the IUCN UK Peatland Programme looks back on 2024.
    Four people in outdoor clothing looking out across a peatland landscape. Image credit: Mark Reed
    Help answer the question: Do investors undervalue the social impact of peatland projects in the UK when making investment decisions?Business professionals at the Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership are seeking…
    Photograph of Cornwall Sustainability Awards on a table with a screen in the background
    Big Win for Cornwall’s Peatlands at Local Sustainability AwardsThe South West Peatland Partnership (SWPP) has been recognised at the 2024 Cornwall Sustainability…
    Aerial image of hagging on a damaged blanket bog landscape. Image credit: Mark Brown
    Technical review of remote sensing for UK peatlandsThe IUCN UK Peatland Programme has commissioned a technical review of the potential and…
    Salmon leaping out of the water. Image credit Stephen Barlow
    New species showcase - Atlantic salmonThe latest in our series of species showcases celebrates the Atlantic salmon and the role that…
    Exterior view of Virtual Peatland Pavilion showing four large domes in an urban landscape
    New Virtual Peatland Pavilion launched for COP29To raise awareness of the global importance of peatlands during COP29, the latest pavilion has been…
    Cover image for 'The most important plant in the world' showing the film's title in yellow text over a background of Sphagnum moss
    Specially commissioned film celebrates 'The most important plant in the world'The IUCN UK Peatland Programme has commissioned the first in a series of short films, celebrating…
    Cumbrian tarn - large body of water with emergent vegetation and hills in the distance. Image credit Steve Hewert.
    Launch of the Peatland Code Version 2.1The IUCN UK Peatland Programme has launched a new update to the Peatland Code, which helps to boost…
    Flat peatland landscape on fire with large plumes of smoke. Image credit Paul Turner
    New brief highlights the importance of peatland rewetting for wildfire resilienceThe IUCN UK Peatland Programme's latest publication explores recent evidence from the UK and North…
    Painting of a river in spate: Peter Graham 1866, 'A spate in the highlands'
    Call for proposals for Water Research Seminar SeriesThe IUCN UK Peatland Programme and the Environment Agency are delighted to announce a series of…
    'Work in progress' sign with a digger on it next to two photographs of children drawing on large sheets of paper
    The Power of the Peat Bogs! How pupils turned their environmental education into a song Primary school pupils who have engaged with a project to restore ancient peatland and traditional…