Greencroft Heath Local Nature Reserve

About the Site

Greencroft Heath is an area of open heathland located on the outskirts of Annfield Plain. It covers 14 hectares and has a disused railway line running diagonally across.

It is one of the few remaining fragments of lowland heath in Durham County and supports a mosaic of heathland and grassland communities, with areas of mire, woodland and several ponds.

There are two main types of heather on the site, ling and bell heather. The flowers of bell heather grow in a cluster at the tip of the plant's branches and if you pick one of these clusters when the flowers have dried out and shake it, you can hear the seeds rattling like a bell. Both species of heather come into flower in the early autumn and produce a great sweeping carpet of pinks and purples.

Waterlogged areas support mire vegetation with common cotton-grass, marsh violet, carnation sedge and sphagnum mosses. The flowers of cotton grass produce white, fluffy cotton-wool like seed heads. Other plants include mat-grass, tufted hair-grass, bilberry and purple moor-grass. Heather and grassland have successfully colonised coal shale to the north of the disused railway line.

Fleeting glimpses of common lizards may be caught on hot sunny days in the summer, before they scuttle away into the undergrowth as you walk past. Skylarks may also be seen with their jerky, upward flight as they are flushed up from the ground. Listen out for their sweet, melodic song.

Patches of birch woodland are scattered across the site. Small stands of oak trees also grow on the drier banks.

There are also several ponds on Greencroft Heath. One is the result of a bomb, which left a crater during the second world war. The ponds support a number of uncommon and unusual animals including frogs, newts and the black darter dragonfly. This small, entirely black dragonfly may be seen between July and September flying over the heath and can be recognised by its rather feeble flight that is repeatedly broken for short periods of rest.

Unsurprisingly this fascinating and unusual Reserve is well used by the public for walking, as well as being regularly visited by a number of local amateur naturalists who take a keen interest in the site.

Greencroft Heath

Location

The Heath is situated on the outskirts of Annfield Plain, adjacent to the A693 bypass.

Facilities

None.

Enquiries

Derwentside District Council
Planning Division
Civic Centre
Consett
DH8 5JA
Tel: 01207 218304

Durham County Council
Environment
County Hall
Durham
DH1 5UQ
Tel: 0191 3833594