Blanket Bogs
Bog
Cotton GrassThe Northumberland National Park contains some very important bogs, or mires. These bogs are some of the best in Europe.They are perhaps our most natural habitat being largely untouched by human activities.
Over the past 10,000 years our bogs have developed in cool, wet conditions which allow peat to form from slowly decaying mosses. The living part of the mire is best viewed at close quarters where you can see the intricate, delicate plants that live there. Fluffy cotton grass is showy in spring, while later in the year, yellow bog asphodel and pink bog rosemary stand out amongst the carpets of sphagnum mosses.
Some of the bogs may have over 10 metres depth of peat below this. The flatter high hills of the Cheviots are even cooler and wetter and have been covered by a layer of peat which is referred to as blanket bog. Here rates of growth are much slower and species include cloud berry and crow berry.
More details about the habitat, as well as threats and positive actions to improve it, can be found by downloading the Habitat Action Plan: Blanket Bog (18kb).
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