Further Information

Waldridge Fell is of importance as a major area of lowland heath in County Durham. It includes range of heathland, grassland, wetland and woodland habitats, several of which are rare or absent in the rest of the County.

The most extensive of these is heathland dominated by heather / ling (Calluna vulgaris), which on deeper soils forms almost pure stands, beneath which bryophytes and lichens (Cladonia spp.) occur. On shallower soils crowberry (Empetrum nigrum) and bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus) are included in the heathland community, the latter being dominant in places.

Bracken (Pteridium aquilinum) occurs throughout the site, and gorse (Ulex europaeus) occurs locally. Species-poor grassland dominated by mat grass (Nardus stricta) is found on lightly flushed soils, but is replaced locally by wavy hair grass (Deschampsia flexuosa).

Seasonally flooded areas support soft rush (Juncus effusus). Wanister Bog, the most extensive wetland, is the only known valley-mire in lowland Durham. The drier parts of the mire support grassland with tufted hair grass (Deschampsia cespitosa), whilst near the outflow purple moorgrass (Molinia caerulea) is dominant. In the wettest central portion of the mire, water horsetail (Equisetum fluviatile) and common cottongrass (Eriophorum angustifolium) occur with bogbean (Menyanthes trifoliata), cross-leaved heath (Erica tetralix), marsh marigold (Caltha palustris), marsh bedstraw (Galium palustre), greater tussock sedge (Carex paniculata) and carpets of bog moss (Sphagnum spp.).

On dry slopes at the margins of the Fell, sessile oak (Quercus petraea) with birch (Betula pubescens) woodland is developed over a species-poor ground flora dominated by wavy hair grass. At springlines on lower valley slopes, alder (Alnus glutinosa) woodland occurs with a species-rich ground flora which includes royal fern (Osmunda regalis), narrow buckler fern (Dryopteris carthusiana), hemlock water dropwort (Oenanthe crocata) and smooth-stalked sedge (Carex laevigata), all of which are rare or local in North East England.

The insect fauna of Waldridge Fell is diverse, notable species being the green hairstreak butterfly and the northern drab (Orthonia opima) and dingy shell (Euchoeca nebulata) moths.

Waldridge Fell is managed by Durham County Council in order to maintain and enhance the existing habitats. Management includes a programme of rotational heather cutting. The cutting encourages new growth in a similar manner to the heather burning that occurs on grouse moor. This creates stands of different aged heather which in turn benefits a broader range of other plants animals (see Biodiversity Action Plan). Control of invasive plant species on the heath, such as rosebay willowherb, bracken and birch is carried out annually. Also the water level in the wetland area known as Wanister Bog is monitored, and dams have been created to help retain water levels during drier years.