Meadows and Pastures

Hay meadows and pasture land provide a wonderful habitat for the area’s biodiversity.

Rhos pasture

Areas of species-rich damp grassland which occur between the moorland and farmland.  These areas support a variety of plant species including the whorled caraway, globeflower, meadow thistle and devils-bit scabious.  This grassland is associated with the rare marsh fritillary butterfly and supports a rich birdlife including snipe, lapwing and curlew.

Hay Meadows

These are rare and protected.  They include characteristic plants such as yellow rattle, meadow vetchling, black knapweed and birds foot trefoil.  Mammals are more numerous than in the uplands and include badger, stoat, weasel, polecat, rabbit, vole and shrew.  The buzzard is the principal predator.