NWT: Briarwood Banks grasslands Traditional Cache
NWT: Briarwood Banks grasslands
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Difficulty:
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Terrain:
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Size: 
(regular)
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Briarwood Banks is a SSSI comprising of two distinct habitat types.
One of these is the level areas of ground adjacent to the River Allen. Because these are downstream from the mining which took place in the Pennines the ground is contaminated with heavy metals, creating unusual soil conditions. This allows plants such as mountain pansy and alpine penny-cress to grow at an alititude where you wouldn't normally expect them.
To maintain the soil conditions for as long as possible and to allow these plants to thrive it is necessary to minimise the return of nutrients to the ground and this is done every year by cutting the grass and removing the clippings from the main growing area. Management using livestock is not possible as they would also introduce nutrients into the soil. Close to the cache you will see the remains of an old lead smelt mill. This only operated for a couple of years in the 19th century before they decided that it was more economical to smelt the lead at a central location
These Briarwood caches should combine nicely with those at Allen Banks.
Alternatively, park there is space for a car (maybe 2) at N54 57.486 W2 19.817
As this is a nature reserve please keep dogs on a lead at all times. Also please make sure that you clean up after your dog
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
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